"The power of [Dickens] is so amazing, that the reader at once becomes his captive, and must follow him whithersoever he leads."
—William Makepeace Thackeray

Narrator Simon Vance raises a banner that announces a once-in-a-lifetime performance that exquisitely matches narrator and text. Vance has a mellifluous English voice, an engaging tone, and marvelous diction.

This retelling presents a condensed version of Dickens’s work for young listeners. Smoothly written, it has been considerably shortened from the original. It recounts the main events but lacks Dickens’s signature word craft. Jonathan Keeble is an authoritative guide through Oliver’s orphan narrative. Keeble’s commanding voice presents a series of interrelated vignettes, each separated by period music. His characters each have memorable voices, especially Fagin, who is a bombastic villain fully brought to life. With such voices, Keeble offers a performance, more than a narration. His changing tone and pace draw attention to dramatic events; however, some principals, notably Oliver, sound a bit caricatured. An informational booklet on Dickens accompanies the production. Keeble’s vivid reading makes Oliver’s story accessible for young listeners. C.A. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine