Alice In Wonderland Audiobook
Written by: Lewis Carroll
Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
Length: 2 hours and 42 minutes
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date: March 31, 2011
Publisher: B.J. Harrison
There are so many beautiful and amazingly charming books on the market that some of the best can be forgotten. However, some of these books manage to impose themselves on the public and will remain a force to be reckoned with for an extensive period of time. The Alice in Wonderland novel would undeniably fall into the latter category so it’s fortunate we can now experience it as an audiobook as well. This novel might’ve been written a long time ago, but it has been retold extensively and has never really gotten old. If any novel has been able to withstand the test of time, this one would be it. Following along with Alice’s fantastic journey through Wonderland and her relationship with the White Rabbit is always a treat and worth reliving no matter how many times you’ve read the book.
There is good news for fans of Lewis Carroll! The Alice in Wonderland novel is actually available in audiobook form! The audiobook was released in 2011 and was published by B.J. Harrison. Harrison also narrates the book. So, will it pay off to relive Alice’s amazing journey through the audiobook? Or are you better off watching one of the hit films? Within this thorough review, you’ll be able to find out!
The Narration
There are many excellent books, which have flopped terribly, when they were converted to audiobook format. Although some of this has to do with the conversion process, the narrator is often blamed for the problems. In order for a book to be a successful audiobook, the narrator really needs to be at the top of their game. For Alice in Wonderland, B.J. Harrison not only publishes the book, but he also narrates. The double-duty is definitely risky, but Harrison manages to pull it off fairly well.
In order to understand the difficulty of narrating Alice in Wonderland, you would need to read the book and familiarize yourself with many of its ludicrous scenes. Still, this doesn’t bother Harrison in the least. He manages to maintain a steady performance throughout and never shies away from the book’s outrageous scenes. He braces himself and maintains a steady, unwavering tone. This undoubtedly helps to ensure that, despite the ludicrous nature of the book, it feels realistic.
At the same time, it should be known that Alice in Wonderland is full of crazy, quirky characters. The White Rabbit, the Gryphon and the Mock Turtle are all awkward and strange in one way or another. Despite the unbelievable nature of these characters, Harrison never scoffs or laughs throughout the performance and that needs to be credited. Also, he does a fabulous job making the switch from one character to the next and has personalized the dialogue to ensure that the listener is capable of differentiating between them easily. I had no trouble determining when Alice was speaking and when the White Rabbit was speaking.
Now, it should be known that Alice in Wonderland is just under 3 hours. Although it is definitely a bit shorter than many other audiobooks, the 3-hour timeframe is very reasonable. The book is not drug out at all and Harrison never rushes through the pages, in order to get to the finish. The pacing is definitely appropriate and each line ends with a short pause, so the listener will have time to digest the information and allow it to sink in.
At the same time, I was impressed with the overall quality of the unabridged audio. It is immaculately translated and I never heard any errors or flaws, which caught me off guard. In fact, the audio was very much enjoyable from the beginning, until the very end. Although I wish the story could’ve been a tad bit longer, this wasn’t a problem. The 2 hours and 42 minutes were perfect for the fantastic tale and the final conclusion was definitely worth the short wait.
The Story
In the epic tale of Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll takes the reader on a fantasy adventure that’s incomparable to any other. Alice is a young girl that goes on a journey through mysterious lands, while meeting some strange characters along the way. It is undetermined, whether or not Lewis Carroll would have ever imagined how popular his novel would become. One thing is for sure, this story has been told way too many times to count by parents all around the world.
Many young readers have fallen to sleep with this book and this is not to mention the adults that have fallen in love with this fantasy. B.J. Harrison has definitely outdone himself with this work of art. He develops a voice for each character that is simplistic, but astonishingly amazing. You will be so intrigued with the story that you will be left wishing you could accompany Alice down the rabbit hole.
Each chapter introduces the reader to a new character with a different and almost strange personality. Thanks to Carroll’s ability to describe the character in a way that allows the reader to close his or her eyes and bring them into reality. There is a bit of sadness in this story, but it is not so overpowering that it brings tears.
Overall
If you have yet to read this fanatical tale of a young girl that finds herself stranded in a rabbit hole, I recommend you to do so. I must admit that I was a bit skeptic about B.J. Harrison’s ability to voice-change with each character. Well, I should have not even considered the thought, because he performed beautifully.
Many experts feel that some of the characters and places in this story, where influenced by real events and buildings. It was later noted that Carroll has replicated the Ripon Cathedral in this novel. I feel that these influences only promote the adventures, but it does make one wonder, if the tale would have been as fantastical without this inspiration.
There have been many failed attempts to replicate Alice in Wonderland, but no one could pull it off. If you are ready to take an adventure of a lifetime, with many twists and turns, I highly recommend this wonderful classic.