Rookwood
William Harrison Ainsworth
Read by Paul Curran
A rich and complex Gothic-Romance centring on the murky deeds of an ancient family. It is a wonderfully atmospheric piece that combines narrative, poetry, song, and descriptive writing to great effect. The character of Dick Turpin that we know today - the dashing highwaymen and unmatched horseman - can be said to stem directly from this novel, as the most famous part of the book (often published on its own in the past), Turpin's Ride To York, is devoted to him. Although seemingly little known to a modern audience, Ainsworth's 'Rookwood' gave the world the image of the highwayman with which we are all so familiar. (Summary by paulc) (16 hr 57 min)
Chapters
Reviews
17 hours of gothic suspense!
TheBookworm
A fine dramatic reading of this forgotten gothic novel. Bravo Paul Curran! One can only imagine how long this must have taken to record and edit. And bravo/brava LibriVox for bring us this great (and very long) book free and for nothing. The MP3 file is unusually clean and free of background noise and sound artifacts. (TheBookworm, Manchester, UK)
Ten Stars
alamedared
Where have you been all my life, dear author? Too long have your books lain undiscovered. I am so glad that Librivox brought you to light. I have listened to "Rookwood" twice already and can't wait to do so again. The lush richness of the prose is unforgettable. The little song/verses,priceless. Thanks so much Librivoz!!! A merry toast to Ainsworth and reader Paul Curran. 10 Stars
Loved The Novel - Marvelous Reading
sarahm
Thank you to Paul Curran for this marvelous recording. I am currently listening to the novel for the second time. I craved to hear the songs and the evocative descriptions again. Here's hoping that more of Ainsworth's works will be recorded at some point.
My Lost Weekend
clay-ky
Due to Paul Curran's delightful reading of this excellent Ainsworth gothic tale. High quality recording. A sincere Thanks to Mr. Curran, your time and effort much appreciated.
Excellently Read
Nota Bene
I'd never read anything in the Gothic Romance genre before, and wasn't sure what to expect. Paul Curran brought the story to life fantastically!
High Gothic
tuesdaynext
Excellent gothic tale read by talented reader. What more is there to ask?