Armadale by Wilkie Collins

Wilkie Collins published *Armadale* in 1866, positioning it squarely within the era of the sensation novel. This work stands as a fascinating bridge between…

Armadale by Wilkie Collins
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Runtime: 31 hr 38 min · Watch the full audiobook on YouTube · Subscribe to Ion Books

Wilkie Collins published *Armadale* in 1866, positioning it squarely within the era of the sensation novel. This work stands as a fascinating bridge between Gothic superstition and emerging psychological realism. The narrative begins with a deathbed confession that casts a long shadow over the lives of the next generation. Two men share the same name and a tangled heritage, bound together by fate and friendship. Their story unfolds against the backdrop of Thorpe Ambrose, a Norfolk estate that serves as both a sanctuary and a stage for deception. Central to the novel is Lydia Gwilt, a character of remarkable complexity. She navigates a restrictive society with sharp intellect and moral ambiguity, challenging the Victorian ideal of female passivity. Her diary entries provide a raw, unvarnished look at ambition and survival. Collins invites the reader to question the nature of identity and the weight of inherited sin. The text shifts between perspectives, letters, and direct narration, creating a layered experience. As you listen to the audiobook, take time to read alongside the recording. The interplay between voice and text deepens the atmosphere of suspense.

Summary generated by AI model Qwen 3

Public domain & narration

Armadale was first published in 1866. Works first published before 1931 are in the public domain in the United States, so the text is free to read, share and adapt. The edition shown here comes from Project Gutenberg, which publishes only books that are in the US public domain.

The narration is the LibriVox recording read by 20 volunteer readers, including Alan Winterrowd, Nadine Eckert-Boulet and MaryAnn. LibriVox volunteers dedicate their recordings to the public domain.

Ion Books adds the synchronized scrolling text and video, so you can read along while you listen, for free.

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Chapters

  1. Prologue - Chapter I (15:43) · watch
  2. Prologue - Chapter II (19:04) · watch
  3. Prologue - Chapter III, pt 1. (22:41) · watch
  4. Prologue - Chapter III, pt 2. (47:24) · watch
  5. Prologue - Chapter III, pt 3. (26:19) · watch
  6. Book the first- chapter I, pt 1. (30:00) · watch
  7. Book the first- chapter I, pt. 2 (33:56) · watch
  8. Book the first- chapter I, pt. 3 (35:51) · watch
  9. Book the first- chapter II, pt 1 (32:14) · watch
  10. Book the first- chapter II, pt 2 (27:54) · watch
  11. Book the first- chapter III (41:42) · watch
  12. Book the first- chapter IV, pt 1 (23:42) · watch
  13. Book the first- chapter IV, pt 2 (22:20) · watch
  14. Book the first- chapter V (35:50) · watch
  15. Book the second- chapter I (34:30) · watch
  16. Book the second- chapter II (46:57) · watch
  17. Book the second- chapter III (50:10) · watch
  18. Book the second- chapter IV (55:11) · watch
  19. Book the second- chapter V (26:02) · watch
  20. Book the second- chapter VI (19:05) · watch
  21. Book the second- chapter VII (42:16) · watch
  22. Book the second- chapter VIII (40:01) · watch
  23. Book the second- chapter IX (31:24) · watch
  24. Book the second- chapter X (40:36) · watch
  25. Book the second- chapter XI (28:38) · watch
  26. Book the second- chapter XII (14:28) · watch
  27. Book the second- chapter XIII (28:31) · watch
  28. Book the third- chapter I (29:11) · watch
  29. Book the third- chapter II (20:46) · watch
  30. Book the third- chapter III (41:07) · watch
  31. Book the third- chapter IV (40:36) · watch
  32. Book the third- chapter V (34:29) · watch
  33. Book the third- chapter VI (15:48) · watch
  34. Book the third- chapter VII (46:30) · watch
  35. Book the third- chapter VIII (24:21) · watch
  36. Book the third- chapter IX, pt 1 (33:16) · watch
  37. Book the third- chapter IX, pt 2 (37:52) · watch
  38. Book the third- chapter X, pt 1 (26:11) · watch
  39. Book the third- chapter X, pt 2 (25:27) · watch
  40. Book the third- chapter X, pt 3 (34:39) · watch
  41. Book the third- chapter XI (26:59) · watch
  42. Book the third- chapter XII (25:12) · watch
  43. Book the third, chapter XIII, pt 1 (21:39) · watch
  44. Book the third- chapter XIII, pt 2 (24:32) · watch
  45. Book the third- chapter XIV, pt 1 (27:10) · watch
  46. Book the third- chapter XIV, pt 2 (31:15) · watch
  47. Book the third- chapter XIV, pt 3 (32:58) · watch
  48. Book the third- chapter XV, pt 1 (25:09) · watch
  49. Book the third- chapter XV, pt 2 (30:31) · watch
  50. Book the third- chapter XV, pt 3 (22:06) · watch
  51. Book the fourth, chapter I (30:09) · watch
  52. Book the fourth- chapter II, pt 1 (25:58) · watch
  53. Book the fourth- chapter II, pt 2 (27:01)
  54. Book the fourth- chapter III, pt 1 (24:06)
  55. Book the fourth- chapter III, pt 2 (26:37)
  56. Book the fourth- chapter III, pt 3 (27:35)
  57. Book the fourth- chapter III, pt 4 (24:09)
  58. Book the fifth- chapter I (14:45)
  59. Book the last- chapter II (28:54)
  60. Book the last- chapter III, pt 1 (26:09)
  61. Book the last- chapter III, pt 2 (28:03)
  62. Book the last- chapter III, pt 3 (24:28)
  63. Book the last- chapter III, pt 4 (18:18)
  64. Epilogue, chapter I (12:24)
  65. Epilogue, chapter II (5:03)
  66. Chapter 66: Appendix (3:44)

Full text

This work is too long to show on one page. Read it on Project Gutenberg · download ebook.txt

Sources

Raw pipeline data (admin)