A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Charlton Griffin is a master of distinctive voices in this Dickens classic about the French Revolution. Indeed, the novel itself, with its plot twists and complex narrative, is beautifully suited to the audio format, thanks to the author’s rich descriptions and Griffin’s understanding of the characters. With a few notable exceptions—main character Lucie’s awkwardly high-pitched breathiness among them—Griffin’s performance is appealing. Most of the other characters—and since this is Dickens, there are many—feature vocal nuances that add dimension and color. Listeners are transported from place to place and conflict to conflict without confusion because of Griffin’s control of the material. Whether one is new to this classic or revisiting an old literary friend, this production can be viewed as “the best of times.” L.B.F. 2011 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2011]