Reviews - Tess of the D'Urbervilles

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3.46k reviews for:

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Thomas Hardy

3.67 AVERAGE

sunselenite's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A beautiful yet heartbreaking story - while reading I often found myself very upset on behalf of Tess, who had good intentions throughout yet was wronged repeatedly by the actions of men in her life, and ultimately by a society which dooms women based on questionable and demeaning standards.
The language and descriptions in this story are nice to read, if a bit excessive and dragging at times. The nuances captured for each character are refreshing, giving a thoughtful presentation of individuals both dealing with or perpetuating wrongdoings.

amyborch's review against another edition

3.0

sad 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

Spoiler. Tess is sweet talked by a man who gets her pregnant. She loses the baby. Ends up with a self righteous guy named Clare who leaves her when he finds out she’s not a virgin. He rethinks his decision to abandon Tess and goes back for her, only to find her with the original scoundrel. Tess murders him and is killed.

alyssajoness's review against another edition

4.5

emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

annabelw16's review against another edition

5.0

emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

terrificarno's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

thembruff's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

finnx2's review against another edition

5.0

4.75/5
Victorian-Morality, Violence, Decline

“The band of silver paleness along the east horizon made even the distant parts of the Great Plain appear dark and near; and the whole enormous landscape bore that impress of reserve, taciturnity, and hesitation which is usual just before day. The eastward pillars and their architraves stood up blackly against the light, and the great flame-shaped Sun-stone beyond them; and the Stone of Sacrifice midway. Presently the night wind died out, and the quivering little pools in the cup-like hollows of the stones lay still.”

Overall: This was a multilayered and extremely dense blend of anti-romantic and bleak tragedy enclosed within the historical and symbolist representation of human misery. Hardy consistently weaves descriptions of rural life during the Victorian era and the eerie forebodings of disasters in the plot. Tess, the haunting heroine, full of paradoxes, appears to disown her unflinching fate. And yet, despite the pessimism, there is an ecstatic beauty that radiates from the lyrical style that is as nuanced as it is sensitive.