FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD

A dark-haired muse, Bathsheba Everdene, entices and repulses the men of Hardy's rural Weatherbury. When she's finally won in marriage, she's consumed by despair. British actor Jamie Parker's sonorous voice complements Hardy's deliberate style. While Parker assumes an unhurried tone throughout the narrative, he provides energetic feeling in the dialogue. His vocal characterizations are well executed, particularly in the discussions of the townspeople in which he portrays the local dialects convincingly. He also effectively contrasts the methodical Gabriel Oak and the haughty Bathsheba in their heated discussions. Parker skillfully navigates the listener through the novel, and his attention to the nuances of Hardy's prose makes his narration especially compelling. D.M.W. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2014]