DICKENSLAND The Curious History of Dickens's London

Hannah Curtis's delightfully dry voice narrates this academic-sounding audiobook. Chapters flit through time and topics to cover various Dickensian literary landmarks in and around London, using many primary sources, including century-old tourism guides. Jackson discusses the history of Victorian literary tourism, the challenges of authenticating sites, and the reasons for various demolitions over the years. While the material is clearly well researched, the listener might become lost while hearing this bombardment of places and dates without a map for visual context. Curtis's voice and tone, which bring to mind a strict teacher with proper British enunciation, elevate this work aimed at a literary audience. S.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2024]