Gr 7-12-Dickens story of contrasts: youth and old age, beauty and deformity, freedom and restraint.

Naxos adds to its collection of some 20 abridged and unabridged Dickens recordings this novel following the lives of orphan Nell Trent and her loving grandfather, both residents of The Old Curiosity Shop in London. Though wildly popular when first published in the early 1840s, this is not among Dickens's best works—it is short on truly memorable characters and flawed by sloppy blending of its complex story lines. Still, narrator Anton Lesser's (Great Expectations) strong performance helps to compensate for these weaknesses. Curiosity Shop is not good as an introduction to the author, but those familiar with his oeuvre will appreciate the added value Lesser's evocative narration brings to the audio edition of this work. [An abridged alternate recording of this title, read by Paul Scofield, is available from Phoenix Audio.—Ed.]—R. Kent Rasmussen, Thousand Oaks, CA

For listeners who shy away from Dickens because of the oppressive length of some of his novels, audio programs like this one are an ideal alternative. THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP is the story of Little Nell, who really isn't that little, and her grandfather, who tries to build a fortune for her by gambling. At about three times the length of a stage play, this dramatization bites off a good chunk of the novel. While the production uses music and sound effects tastefully, the focus is on the acting, and the entire cast is excellent. Phil Daniels is suitably evil sounding in his role as Quilp, the creditor, and narrator Alex Jennings is the ideal scene-setter and guide. D.B. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine