The Mill on the Floss

In her day, George Eliot was generally considered England's greatest novelist. Later, in this country, her SILAS MARNER, as required classroom reading, numbed thousands of schoolkids to the joys of literature. If only actress Jill Tanner had been around! THE MILL ON THE FLOSS has no greater relevance to modern Americans, but you'd never guess it from Tanner's reading. Here we get a lengthy, discursive account of the love between siblings Tom and Maggie, scions of a country miller in the mid-1800s, surrounding the story of how they dealt with many trials while growing into young adults, how they became estranged, and how they reconciled seconds before their tragic deaths. Tanner vividly animates the characters, making them seem familiar and worthy of our concern. She also makes apparent the charm, humor, grace, compassion, and subtlety in Eliot's work, which so often elude today's readers. Through Tanner, the virtues that captivated Eliot's contemporaries and still keep her books in print come into sharp focus. Y.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

Imaginative and intelligent, Maggie Tulliver is a young woman decades ahead of her time. Her ambitions and urgings move her out of society's mainstream and into dangerous waters. While her adored brother grows up to meet social expectations, Maggie flaunts her free spirit and independence. It's not hard to imagine how the author, George Eliot (Marian Evans), related to the plight of her headstrong heroine. With just the right dash of apprehension, narrator Cheryl Campbell captures the spirit of a girl torn between duty and love. The tragic ending is heartbreaking. R.O. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

It's hard to imagine a better reader for this nineteenth-century classic than the acclaimed actress who played Maggie Tulliver, the heroine in "Masterpiece Theatre's" dramatization. Emily Watson's considerable dramatic gifts and obvious fondness for the story will transport the listener over the inevitable gaps in an abridgment that distills five hundred pages to two cassettes. Even an abridgment as good as this one can provide little more than plot and major characters, but, fortunately, Watson's rich characterizations provide the guiding hand needed during those occasional moments when the listener wonders if he has lost his way. G.B.C. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine

Eileen Atkins's terrific depiction of the inner struggles of Maggie and Tom Tulliver will leave listeners awed at their stubbornness. Maggie is a cranky child who loves books and her brother but hates having her hair done and sitting still; Tom is sent to school to learn Latin and other esoteric subjects even though he's only good at physical games. Atkins creates multiple distinct character voices ranging from the upper-class Philip to the hilarious Bob Jakin. Interspersed with the drama, there are lighter moments, and for those Atkins employs a deft touch. The aunts are particularly amusing, especially Aunt Glegg, who believes Mrs. Tulliver married beneath her but that Tom may have inherited some of the Dodson spirit. You can hear Aunt Glegg's nose in the air. A.B. (c) AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

Rosalyn Landor's strong narration lends itself to George Eliot's fictional town of St. Ogg. The novel centers on Maggie Tulliver, whose limited wealth and exceptional beauty cause turmoil in her life. The story begins when Maggie is a child, and Landor captures her girlish voice adeptly, adding dramatic effects to her passionate and often reckless comments. As Maggie grows into a young woman, Landor tones down her rural accent. Landor also exhibits her skills in her vocal characterizations of the many secondary characters. From the stuffy Aunt Glegg to the stubborn Mr. Tulliver, Landor smoothly shifts between figures who are diverse in class and personality. Landor's mastery of rural British dialects greatly enhances Eliot's realistic dialogue. D.M.W. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine