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andrea8385's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lyubibubi's review against another edition
4.0
Took me a bit longer to read than what I anticipated. Best way to describe it is - a drama and romance series but in a book format. Very much an enjoyable read with lots of twists. The definition of 90s/00s rom com movie. Reminds me of Bridget Jones's Diary if it was set in Victorian England.
melissa_canela's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I must say, I knew nothing about this book when I started reading it, and I had never read anything from Hardy before, so everything was a novelty for me.
At first, I found his writing style quite difficult. I had to reread some sentences to grasp them fully, but everything went smoothly after a while, and I couldn't feel anything but awe at such a way of mixing plot with scenery descriptions. Man, now I kind of want to go to rural England and find my own Gabriel.
On that note, the best character for me through most of the book was the loyal, hard-working, noble Gabriel. Even though I found him kind of meh at first, he won me over eventually.
I hold a special place in my heart for Bathsheba, she was so young and made mistakes but remained strong and independent.
Troy, ugh, hate him. Boldwood, creepy and possessive, don't like him at all. The dog that helped Fanny cross the city, love him.
Excellent read!
At first, I found his writing style quite difficult. I had to reread some sentences to grasp them fully, but everything went smoothly after a while, and I couldn't feel anything but awe at such a way of mixing plot with scenery descriptions. Man, now I kind of want to go to rural England and find my own Gabriel.
On that note, the best character for me through most of the book was the loyal, hard-working, noble Gabriel. Even though I found him kind of meh at first, he won me over eventually.
I hold a special place in my heart for Bathsheba, she was so young and made mistakes but remained strong and independent.
Troy, ugh, hate him. Boldwood, creepy and possessive, don't like him at all. The dog that helped Fanny cross the city, love him.
Excellent read!
ele1982's review against another edition
5.0
Stupendo, bellissimo, succede di tutto ma รจ un libro davvero stupendo, ho amato il personaggio di Gabriel
xtnpdrz's review
4.0
Hardy shows us just how beautiful the English language can be. I've made a dozen (anachronistic) comparisons of his wordsmith to the late Pat Conroy. You don't exactly read a Hardy novel for an action packed plot, but understanding that makes enjoying the novel that much easier.
selefa's review against another edition
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.0
octavia_cade's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
4.0
This is less depressing than Tess of the D'Urbervilles, but that is hardly a high bar. This novel at least has a happy ending, which I suppose is something, but the misery quotient is still very high. Granted, this and Tess are the only two of Hardy's books I've ever read, but he doesn't seem like a barrel of laughs, frankly.
Which doesn't mean that this isn't both effective and affecting, because it is. I admit that it took me a while to get into, but by the end I was riveted. I think it's the characterisation that's the main appeal here: Bathsheba, especially, is both convincing and compelling, and I enjoyed her immensely. Gabriel Oak is likely more admirable, but less interesting. The one I'm stuck on, though, is Boldwood. I suspect in generations past he might have had a more sympathetic hearing from readers, and I am somewhat sympathetic... but only to a point. He's a tragic figure, yes, but he's also a creepy sort of obsessive who has no problem guilting Bathsheba into a relationship. There's a sort of weaponised patheticness there that reads very differently in the age of Me Too. He'd be unbearable to be around, the kind of nice guy you warn other girls about. I wonder, frankly, about Hardy's intentions with him, and how much of that off-putting behaviour was intentional. How much sympathy did Hardy expect us to have for him?
I think if I were Bathsheba, I'd be glad he escaped the gallows, and equally glad that he was locked up and far the fuck away from me.
Which doesn't mean that this isn't both effective and affecting, because it is. I admit that it took me a while to get into, but by the end I was riveted. I think it's the characterisation that's the main appeal here: Bathsheba, especially, is both convincing and compelling, and I enjoyed her immensely. Gabriel Oak is likely more admirable, but less interesting. The one I'm stuck on, though, is Boldwood. I suspect in generations past he might have had a more sympathetic hearing from readers, and I am somewhat sympathetic... but only to a point. He's a tragic figure, yes, but he's also a creepy sort of obsessive who has no problem guilting Bathsheba into a relationship. There's a sort of weaponised patheticness there that reads very differently in the age of Me Too. He'd be unbearable to be around, the kind of nice guy you warn other girls about. I wonder, frankly, about Hardy's intentions with him, and how much of that off-putting behaviour was intentional. How much sympathy did Hardy expect us to have for him?
I think if I were Bathsheba, I'd be glad he escaped the gallows, and equally glad that he was locked up and far the fuck away from me.
callienicole's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book with some friends, and I'd highly recommend reading it in a group, it made it so much more fun! In this book, Gabriel Oak finds himself falling for Bathsheba Everdeen, a really reckless and arrogant girl. Her recklessness plays out and matures her throughout the book, as she deals with three very different gentleman who are courting her.
There were so many times when I was reading this when I thought, "WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?" Somehow the author goes from completely messing up Bathsheba's life to putting it all back together again. I thought the character growth with Bathsheba and Gabriel in this book was really interesting. The writing was very insightful when it comes to human nature, and I highlighted many things, though sometimes the characters were so over-the-top I wondered if some of it was supposed to be satirical.
Overall, I enjoyed it, and I'm glad I read it!
There were so many times when I was reading this when I thought, "WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?" Somehow the author goes from completely messing up Bathsheba's life to putting it all back together again. I thought the character growth with Bathsheba and Gabriel in this book was really interesting. The writing was very insightful when it comes to human nature, and I highlighted many things, though sometimes the characters were so over-the-top I wondered if some of it was supposed to be satirical.
Overall, I enjoyed it, and I'm glad I read it!
renfri_23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75