PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Juliet Stevenson delivers Austen's lovely prose with the grace and intelligence that it deserves. Most of the novel moves at a stately pace, even the most emotional peaks of the love story, and Stevenson delivers it with the measured cadence it demands. She isn't quite as strong when speaking the male dialogue, but when she's speaking as any of the female characters--especially the silly, breathy ones like Lydia or Mrs. Bennet--she strikes the perfect tone. However, this abridgment leaves much to be desired. Some of Austen's wittiest lines are cut, and so much is lost from some interactions that several characters come off far more flatly than written. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]