BLEAK HOUSE

In OLIVER TWIST, a character comments, "The law is a ass." In BLEAK HOUSE, Dickens amplifies and dramatizes this remark into almost encyclopedic length. This reviewer recommends that interested parties resort to the printed version, for taking it down and putting it back on the shelf provides an excellent upper-body work-out. However, for those who insist on the audiobook, this version is a workmanlike job. Robert Whitfield reads well enough, though he lacks the imagination and life force to do full justice to the author. That he can plow through the whole thing briskly and indefatigably is itself an achievement. Beware also of a few annoyingly bad edits. Y.R. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 00]