THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP

Anton Lesser is well known to those who love Dickens on audio. He’s a consummate professional who brings the nuanced phrases and finely honed humor of Dickens to life. One of the author’s darker tales, shot through with villains and fools led astray by the perceived power of money, this title requires an expert narration to deliver this story successfully. Lesser provides just that, switching deftly from the sweet and gentle Nell to her beloved grandfather and his tortured decline into a senile, conniving old man. Lesser's vocal strength is mesmerizing. He even manages to make Quilp, the grotesque dwarf obsessed with Nell's downfall, seem a little sympathetic as he depicts the character’s tormented existence. D.G. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2010]