THE GREAT GATSBY

New productions of literary classics allow new generations to discover elegant writing and learn about bygone eras. The 1920s seem so long ago, but this book reminds us that some themes are universal and timeless. Narrator William Hope delivers the novel in a deep, smooth, authoritative voice that fully captures the work by correctly focusing on the author’s depiction of the American mythos as well as the plot. Hope’s technical skills, such as diction and tone, are also impeccable. His characters, though, are not as successful. He tends to go overboard with his accents and raises his voice beyond what is necessary in order to get Fitzgerald’s point across. The effect is that he creates caricatures rather than believable people. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2010]