Reviews - Tess of the D'Urbervilles

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Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

3.48k reviews for:

It wasn't a very enjoyable read, but at least it made me care about what happened. For being such a classic, I was pleasantly surprised by how accessible it was. I think it will stick with me and support a reread.

xolotlll's review

5.0

What a beautiful book! I really was not expecting this.

rosieannereads's review

this was exhausting and i am saying this in favor of the book.

funguscreature's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

ccap's review

3.0

What can I say? I am just not a lover of so-called classics. There were certainly bits that I enjoyed and found interesting but mostly I just really wanted to finish this book to get to one I WANTED to read. (Read it at the request of someone I love.)

paulataua's review

4.0

A poor and alcoholic Jack Durbeyfield accidentally discovers that he may be a descendant of a noble family, and his wife and he send their daughter Tess to a family with the d’Urberville name in the hope of improving their social status. What follows is a tragic story as a strong young women as she yields to her fate. Tess is cast out because of the terrible things done to her and not because of things she does herself. I first read this in my teens and must admit I missed so much. It is rich with themes of injustice and fate, and of nature and industrialization, and really must have been a powerful social criticism when published. I’m so glad I went back to it.