Reviews - Tess of the d'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy - [Wordsworth Classics] -

3.45k reviews for:

Tess of the d'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy - [Wordsworth Classics] -

Thomas Hardy

3.67 AVERAGE

elbowbean's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kindireads's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

One of the most tragic novels I’ e ever read… Pure classic

eef_'s review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

aralyn42's review against another edition

4.0

This was one of the bleakest books I have ever read. The plot is nigh on constant suffering for the protagonist, and the only time it gets even vaguely better, it is overshadowed by Tess's guilt and fear of abandonment, which, naturally comes to fruition, as this book apparently follows the Murphy's Law of misery. It also took me forever to read, not only because of its dark subject matter, but also because the writer spends extensive time describing the countryside and the nature around the characters; not, however, that this is a bad thing, as nature becomes almost one of the characters in the book, far more steadfast and constant than any of the men.
Despite this critique, this was much more beautifully written than I had anticipated; Hardy talks about gods and beauty and Shakespeare, and the style is immersive and richly fulfilling. Although the descriptions of dairy farming might be lengthy, they truly are a time-capsule into what life would have been like in 1800s, complete with the full depth of human emotions and feelings.
I was also struck with how sympathetic Hardy is towards Tess - although she frequently blames herself, I don't believe he ever puts the blame on her at all, and instead emphasizes how victimised and abused she is. I think this is most prominently seen where Tess writes the last letter to Angel, and declares that she had never intended to hurt anyone, and acknowledges that she has been incredibly unfairly treated; to me, that was one of the most powerful scenes in the book.