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bookishchristiana's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
"Did it never strike your mind that what every woman says, some women may feel?"
&
"Why didn’t you tell me there was danger? Why didn’t you warn me? Ladies know what to guard against, because they read novels that tell them of these tricks; but I never had the chance of discovering in that way; and you did not help me!" - Thomas Hardy, Tess of the D'Urbervilles.
This read has been a long time coming. In my final year of high school, for Advanced Higher English, our class was meant to read two Thomas Hardy books: Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Return of the Native. There is something in me that automatically refuses to read something as soon as I'm told, so I didn't read them (I chose the poetry focus instead). However, I have had these books for over five years now, so I thought I should probably get around to it (mainly in audiobook form - tip: if you're finding a classic difficult, maybe try listening to it). Anyway, I have finally finished the first of the two, and my goodness, it was depressing! That isn't to say it wasn't good; I really respect what Hardy was trying to do and think he executed it really well. Nevertheless, it is quite a sad and traumatic book. Tess is our protagonist and key victim and is portrayed very sympathetically for the time period. Hardy demonstrates how brutal and unfeeling the moral code of Victorian England was, whilst contrasting the views of the rural working class with those of the middle classes moving towards industrialisation.
Primarily, the book focuses on the precarious situations young women are placed in through a lack of education on the dangers of the world and (more specifically) men. However, there is also a focus on the transition from traditional seasonal farming communities to busier city industries and how this affects the population used to the former. I'm not as good at literary criticism as I once was (sorry), but this was the general gist I understood. I wouldn't say this is a favourite book of mine, and it was quite hard to get through at times. However, I very much understand why this is considered a masterpiece by Hardy and why it has stood the test of time. I am very glad I have finally read it, and would absolutely recommend it as a key English classic (and perhaps feminist too, despite not being written by a woman). I also think me-now appreciates it a lot more than me-at-17 would have. - C x
&
"Why didn’t you tell me there was danger? Why didn’t you warn me? Ladies know what to guard against, because they read novels that tell them of these tricks; but I never had the chance of discovering in that way; and you did not help me!" - Thomas Hardy, Tess of the D'Urbervilles.
This read has been a long time coming. In my final year of high school, for Advanced Higher English, our class was meant to read two Thomas Hardy books: Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Return of the Native. There is something in me that automatically refuses to read something as soon as I'm told, so I didn't read them (I chose the poetry focus instead). However, I have had these books for over five years now, so I thought I should probably get around to it (mainly in audiobook form - tip: if you're finding a classic difficult, maybe try listening to it). Anyway, I have finally finished the first of the two, and my goodness, it was depressing! That isn't to say it wasn't good; I really respect what Hardy was trying to do and think he executed it really well. Nevertheless, it is quite a sad and traumatic book. Tess is our protagonist and key victim and is portrayed very sympathetically for the time period. Hardy demonstrates how brutal and unfeeling the moral code of Victorian England was, whilst contrasting the views of the rural working class with those of the middle classes moving towards industrialisation.
Primarily, the book focuses on the precarious situations young women are placed in through a lack of education on the dangers of the world and (more specifically) men. However, there is also a focus on the transition from traditional seasonal farming communities to busier city industries and how this affects the population used to the former. I'm not as good at literary criticism as I once was (sorry), but this was the general gist I understood. I wouldn't say this is a favourite book of mine, and it was quite hard to get through at times. However, I very much understand why this is considered a masterpiece by Hardy and why it has stood the test of time. I am very glad I have finally read it, and would absolutely recommend it as a key English classic (and perhaps feminist too, despite not being written by a woman). I also think me-now appreciates it a lot more than me-at-17 would have. - C x
grace612's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
greeneyedbookworm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
3.5
What a depressing book 😂 Basically men have been trash since forever.
anshikatrivedi_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Who was the moral man? Who was the moral woman? The beauty or ugliness of a character lay not only in its achievements, but in its aims and impulses; its true history lay, not among things done but among things willed.
She was not an existence, an experience, a passion, a structure of sensations to anybody but herself.
The two halves of an approximately perfect whole did not confront each other at perfect moment; part and counterpart wandered independently about the earth in the stupidest manner for a while, till the late time came. Out of which maladroit delay sprang anxieties, disappointments, shocks, catastrophes - what was called a strange destiny.
cleothebengal's review against another edition
4.0
This is my first Thomas Hardy novel, and boy am I glad that I started here. If you're going to start reading Victorian novels, start here. Hardy writes like Dickens, but with fewer street urchins and more poetry.
Although Tess is a bit of a limp noodle personality-wise, she is so incredibly tough, and Angel Clare's treatment of her caused me to want to throw the book across the room at times. Side note: I know his parents were in with the church and everything, but "Angel", really?
This is written so beautifully. It makes me want to live out in the English country and milk cows, whilst being wooed by a studious stranger and his harp. Tess is such a badass. She takes care of business. Honestly even though this is 450ish pages, it's so worth it. It's incredible.
Although Tess is a bit of a limp noodle personality-wise, she is so incredibly tough, and Angel Clare's treatment of her caused me to want to throw the book across the room at times. Side note: I know his parents were in with the church and everything, but "Angel", really?
This is written so beautifully. It makes me want to live out in the English country and milk cows, whilst being wooed by a studious stranger and his harp. Tess is such a badass. She takes care of business. Honestly even though this is 450ish pages, it's so worth it. It's incredible.
melguld's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
paigeworrall's review against another edition
4.0
My first impression of this book was that it would be one of those stereotypically over dramatic text that would bore me to death. I was wrong. It is a beautifully written and emotionally charged novel which follows the life of Tess, a poor farm girl who is caught up in her parents plot to make them wealthy. Unfortunately things don’t go to plan and Tess finds herself questioning the justness of the society she lives in. At times it does seem a bit long winded and at points I did find myself struggling through parts of the book. However the plot is full of many twists and turns and Hardy provokes the reader to think about many themes in the book such as the sexism that Tess faced and how this manipulated her decisions in the novel. It is very insightful into the time in which Hardy lives and many readers will find it fascinating.
orlafaherty's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
r0sem4rie's review against another edition
3.0
”But where was Tess’s guardian angle?” is one of the saddest quotes I’ve ever read.
A tragically beautiful book. Thomas Hardy’s prose is so poetic and so effective in its critique of Victorian society and their stupid double standards and criminalisation and rejection of “impure women”. Tess deserved so much more.
“Did you say the stars were worlds, Tess?"
"Yes."
"All like ours?"
"I don't know, but I think so. They sometimes seem to be like the apples on our stubbard-tree. Most of them splendid and sound - a few blighted."
"Which do we live on - a splendid one or a blighted one?"
"A blighted one.”
”The only exercise that Tess took at this time was after dark; and it was then, when out in the woods, that she seemed least solitary.”
A tragically beautiful book. Thomas Hardy’s prose is so poetic and so effective in its critique of Victorian society and their stupid double standards and criminalisation and rejection of “impure women”. Tess deserved so much more.
“Did you say the stars were worlds, Tess?"
"Yes."
"All like ours?"
"I don't know, but I think so. They sometimes seem to be like the apples on our stubbard-tree. Most of them splendid and sound - a few blighted."
"Which do we live on - a splendid one or a blighted one?"
"A blighted one.”
”The only exercise that Tess took at this time was after dark; and it was then, when out in the woods, that she seemed least solitary.”