Our score
Outstanding
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True Grit: A Novel Audiobook by Charles Portis— narrated by Donna Tartt
Charles Portis's True Grit is a lean, wickedly funny revenge western narrated by one of the great voices in American fiction: Mattie Ross, a fourteen-year-old who hires a one-eyed marshal to hunt the man who killed her father and refuses, ever, to be left behind.
Why the audiobook wins
Donna Tartt narrates True Grit, and she isn't a hired voice doing an accent. Tartt has championed Portis for years and chose to record this one herself, and it shows in the read. She keeps Mattie Ross's stiff, Bible-quoting formality dead level, never winking at the joke, so Rooster's gravel and LaBoeuf's preening drawl land sharp against that flat, upright delivery.
At a little over six hours, it's short enough for one long drive or a single free evening, which matches the review's own read: a book you can finish in an afternoon and then press on someone who swears they hate westerns.
The review calls Mattie Ross unforgettable, and Tartt's steady, unshowy reading is the fastest way to meet her, closer to the author's own ear than either film version managed. One Audible credit, and the whole manhunt is done before the free trial even feels spent.
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Audiobook questions
- Who narrates the True Grit: A Novel audiobook?
- Donna Tartt narrates the audiobook edition of True Grit: A Novel.
- How long is the True Grit: A Novel audiobook?
- The audiobook runs 6 hr 15 min.
- Is the True Grit: A Novel audiobook worth listening to?
- We scored True Grit: A Novel 4.6 out of 5. Donna Tartt narrates True Grit, and she isn't a hired voice doing an accent. Tartt has championed Portis for years and chose to record this one herself, and it shows in the read. She keeps Mattie Ross's stiff, Bible-quoting formality dead level, never winking at the joke, so…
- Can I listen to True Grit: A Novel free with an Audible trial?
- Eligible new Audible members can use a free-trial credit to listen in the Audible app. Eligibility and current offer terms are set by Audible.Listen to True Grit: A Novel free with an Audible trial
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- Is True Grit: A Novel on Kindle Unlimited?
- Yes. True Grit: A Novel was included with Kindle Unlimited when we last checked on August 20, 2026.
- How much does True Grit: A Novel cost?
- On Amazon: Kindle $7.19. Prices as of September 10, 2026 at 3:46 AM EDT and may change.
