Our Mutual Friend, Version 3


Read by Mil Nicholson

(4.8 stars; 409 reviews)

Our Mutual Friend, the last novel completed by Charles Dickens, has many plots, twists and turns, from the murky river Thames to the gold and crystal on the tables of ‘Society’. A tale of murder, treachery, jealousy and love, takes us first to a rowing boat on the Thames, where the Hexhams have found a body in the water and are bringing it to shore. We attend the Boffins, a poor naïve couple, who unexpectedly have just become wealthy, after their employer dies and names them in his will. Silas Wegg becomes their ‘literary man’ and John Rokesmith, a mysterious man, becomes their secretary. We meet the Veneerings, new to society, who hold elaborate dinner parties for ‘dear friends’ they’ve never met. Bella and Lizzie, each from different walks of life, find love from unexpected quarters. The Lammles, a society couple, become match makers for their own ulterior motives. Two ne’er do well lawyers, Mortimer Lightwood and Eugene Wrayburn, find themselves caught up in intrigue, and learn how dangerous their work can be. Riderhood, a devious individual, finds himself in a dark plot with school teacher Bradley Headstone. Betty Higden, a loyal elderly woman, whose independence and love are so inspiring, our hearts go out to her. Dickens weaves together some of his most colorful and oft times hilarious characters so cleverly, that even up to the end of the story, surprises are afoot. (Summary by Mil Nicholson) (36 hr 11 min)

Chapters

01 - Book 1, Chapter 1 13:04 Read by Mil Nicholson
02 - Book 1, Chapter 2 30:56 Read by Mil Nicholson
03 - Book 1, Chapter 3 38:02 Read by Mil Nicholson
04 - Book 1, Chapter 4 31:45 Read by Mil Nicholson
05 - Book 1, Chapter 5 44:49 Read by Mil Nicholson
06 - Book 1, Chapter 6 43:25 Read by Mil Nicholson
07 - Book 1, Chapter 7 25:27 Read by Mil Nicholson
08 - Book 1, Chapter 8 35:53 Read by Mil Nicholson
09 - Book 1, Chapter 9 40:07 Read by Mil Nicholson
10 - Book 1, Chapter 10 36:17 Read by Mil Nicholson
11 - Book 1, Chapter 11 39:58 Read by Mil Nicholson
12 - Book 1, Chapter 12 42:10 Read by Mil Nicholson
13 - Book 1, Chapter 13 26:00 Read by Mil Nicholson
14 - Book 1, Chapter 14 21:39 Read by Mil Nicholson
15 - Book 1, Chapter 15 36:43 Read by Mil Nicholson
16 - Book 1, Chapter 16 43:15 Read by Mil Nicholson
17 - Book 1, Chapter 17 12:27 Read by Mil Nicholson
18 - Book 2, Chapter 1 49:07 Read by Mil Nicholson
19 - Book 2, Chapter 2 30:39 Read by Mil Nicholson
20 - Book 2, Chapter 3 28:09 Read by Mil Nicholson
21 - Book 2, Chapter 4 33:19 Read by Mil Nicholson
22 - Book 2, Chapter 5 40:24 Read by Mil Nicholson
23 - Book 2, Chapter 6 35:40 Read by Mil Nicholson
24 - Book 2, Chapter 7 29:54 Read by Mil Nicholson
25 - Book 2, Chapter 8 43:59 Read by Mil Nicholson
26 - Book 2, Chapter 9 23:43 Read by Mil Nicholson
27 - Book 2, Chapter 10 17:38 Read by Mil Nicholson
28 - Book 2, Chapter 11 32:49 Read by Mil Nicholson
29 - Book 2, Chapter 12 38:51 Read by Mil Nicholson
30 - Book 2, Chapter 13 39:02 Read by Mil Nicholson
31 - Book 2, Chapter 14 34:49 Read by Mil Nicholson
32 - Book 2, Chapter 15 44:05 Read by Mil Nicholson
33 - Book 2, Chapter 16 30:20 Read by Mil Nicholson
34 - Book 3, Chapter 1 34:03 Read by Mil Nicholson
35 - Book 3, Chapter 2 25:38 Read by Mil Nicholson
36 - Book 3, Chapter 3 14:43 Read by Mil Nicholson
37 - Book 3, Chapter 4 32:23 Read by Mil Nicholson
38 - Book 3, Chapter 5 35:52 Read by Mil Nicholson
39 - Book 3, Chapter 6 36:51 Read by Mil Nicholson
40 - Book 3, Chapter 7 31:08 Read by Mil Nicholson
41 - Book 3, Chapter 8 30:31 Read by Mil Nicholson
42 - Book 3, Chapter 9 44:55 Read by Mil Nicholson
43 - Book 3, Chapter 10 36:28 Read by Mil Nicholson
44 - Book 3, Chapter 11 25:17 Read by Mil Nicholson
45 - Book 3, Chapter 12 22:03 Read by Mil Nicholson
46 - Book 3, Chapter 13 27:50 Read by Mil Nicholson
47 - Book 3, Chapter 14 31:21 Read by Mil Nicholson
48 - Book 3, Chapter 15 39:34 Read by Mil Nicholson
49 - Book 3, Chapter 16 40:02 Read by Mil Nicholson
50 - Book 3, Chapter 17 30:52 Read by Mil Nicholson
51 - Book 4, Chapter 1 30:42 Read by Mil Nicholson
52 - Book 4, Chapter 2 25:11 Read by Mil Nicholson
53 - Book 4, Chapter 3 26:54 Read by Mil Nicholson
54 - Book 4, Chapter 4 26:48 Read by Mil Nicholson
55 - Book 4, Chapter 5 45:10 Read by Mil Nicholson
56 - Book 4, Chapter 6 36:06 Read by Mil Nicholson
57 - Book 4, Chapter 7 29:06 Read by Mil Nicholson
58 - Book 4, Chapter 8 28:43 Read by Mil Nicholson
59 - Book 4, Chapter 9 30:35 Read by Mil Nicholson
60 - Book 4, Chapter 10 21:37 Read by Mil Nicholson
61 - Book 4, Chapter 11 33:26 Read by Mil Nicholson
62 - Book 4, Chapter 12 36:03 Read by Mil Nicholson
63 - Book 4, Chapter 13 29:13 Read by Mil Nicholson
64 - Book 4, Chapter 14 33:04 Read by Mil Nicholson
65 - Book 4, Chapter 15 32:37 Read by Mil Nicholson
66 - Book 4, Chapter 16 30:26 Read by Mil Nicholson
67 - Book 4, Chapter 17 15:56 Read by Mil Nicholson
68 - Postscript 5:53 Read by Mil Nicholson

Reviews

Another gem


(5 stars)

Wonderfully read, as always, by Ms. Mil. Thank you for the care and time you take to bring all the characters to life in the most beautiful way.

Fantastic


(5 stars)

Mil Nicholson's reading is excellent - I recommend her readings for any audiobook you can get your hands on. Really - she could be a pro (and is a professional actor, I think). One of Dickens' best. The vast interweaving of characters, each of whom seems to be both a stock type, but also as real as you or I, is a pleasure to watch unfold. Also satisfying is that under Dickens' divine machinations, everybody gets their just deserts. So it's kind of like a Jackie Chan movie, but with deeper characters and less kicking. One of my favorite librivox listens ever.


(5 stars)

I absolutely love Mil Nicholson ' s readings. moving onto her next one!


(5 stars)

This narrator has opened up a whole world of literature to me with her wonderful narration of Dickens' work. I'm slowly working my way through all her Dickens offerings. Her ability to distinguish between the characters is amazing. And hearing Dickens read aloud reminded me that he is funny as well as heartbreaking. There aren't many audiobooks that have moved me to tears, but the scenes with Betty Higden and Johnny did. Well done as always, Ms. Nicholson!

great ending. amazing characters that you cannot be indifferent to. you either …


(5 stars)

i give GOD PRAISE for LIBRIVOX even when iPhone 📱 shows NO SERVICE LibriVox.org keeps going for a bit longer 👍💐🙏❤️👌i live alone in the country with no modern conveniences so FAMILYRADIO.ORG PILGRIMRADIO.COM 🤩the indomitable LIBRIVOX.ORG AND OFF COURSE GOD are deadly weapons against loneliness. i am forever smiling for no reason BUT GOD great ending. amazing characters that you cannot be indifferent to. you either love or hate i love CHARLES DICKENS’ 💐OUR MUTUAL FRIEND excellent reader MAGNIFICENT

Not to be missed


(5 stars)

Do yourself a favour and download this. I've listened to several Audible versions but none hold a candle to this one. Mil Nicholson does a wonderful job with a very difficult book and manages to make it both enjoyable and entertaining. Thank you for such a huge effort and commitment. Five stars aren't quite sufficient so here are another couple. 🌟🌟

A Beautiful Novel of Love, Sacrifice, and Madness


(5 stars)

I watched a BBC adaptation of Our Mutual Friend as a teen in the 90s, and I have been taken by the story, and the vivid characters, ever since. I read the novel at the same time, and after listening to the incomparable Mil Nicholson read Bleak House, I decided that this would be my next treat. Dickens weaves this plot tightly, which is one of my favorite aspects of the story. The characters, though, are truly its heart–Mr. and Mrs. Boffin, unlikely heirs to a large fortune; Lizzie Hexam, beautiful and loyal; Bella Wilfer, lovely but spoiled; Silas Wegg, a man of letters with sinister plans; Bradley Headstone, a man of deep passions and anger; and Rogue Riderhood, sly and cunning. Each character, and so many more, have their role to play in this novel that shows both the heights and depths that love can drive people to. I cannot recommend this novel enough. For readers who love Dickens, listen to Our Mutual Friend, and make sure that Nicholson is the reader. She brings such depth to each character.


(5 stars)

Mil Nicholson does a brilliant job, once again, of capturing the great range of voices, the humor and the pathos of Dickens's writing. This is a rich and powerful novel, a bit disturbing in many of its themes but well crafted and full of wonderful characters. There's a lot of anti Semitism, but only on the part of certain characters; the author comes down clearly on the side of defending the dignity of his Jewish characters. I have the biggest complaint about the central relationship between John and Bella, since it involves such elaborate and long-term manipulation by him of her emotions. But where else can you meet a literary gentleman with a wooden leg, an articulator of bones, and a golden dust man?