3.46k reviews for:

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Thomas Hardy

3.67 AVERAGE

isaathomagibbon's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kathryn14's review against another edition

4.0

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I gasped.
Out-loud.

Several times.

claredragonfly's review against another edition

3.0

dark sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

louise_c's review against another edition

3.0

reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

eeclayton's review against another edition

5.0

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

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Heartbreaking and still eerily relevant today. Domineering men, double standards, obsession, and all this written by a man in the 1800s -- just wow. Also beautifully written and the details of farm life nicely captured. Loved it. 

jenniferw88's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark tense medium-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

rosiethesheep's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional sad 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

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This book was seriously depressing and I just couldn’t get on with it. The double standard and just when you thought everything would be ok, something even worse happened. 

lienhsin's review against another edition

2.5

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of course the longest section is titled "the woman pays", and the shortest being "fulfillment".... angel clare was clinically insane. this is a tale cautioning against men.

crabbyabbe's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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If ever I feel even remotely sorry for myself, I will think of Tess and realize how incredibly lucky I am, especially as a woman not living during Victorian/Edwardian England. A beautifully written, yet hauntingly heart-wrenching story of a pure-of-heart woman who is preyed upon by pretty much every person she encounters, especially the Draculean Alec d'Urberville, Tess, you'll stay within my heart for a long time.

margaretmouw's review against another edition

3.0

emotional sad medium-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