Reviews - Jude the Obscure

982 reviews for:

Jude the Obscure

Thomas Hardy

3.7 AVERAGE

cchan1120's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

mollyandthecat's review against another edition

5.0

medium-paced

msraborn's review against another edition

2.0

Well written, but damn, is it depressing - even for Hardy.

salsa_quacks's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional sad fast-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: Yes

cavalorn's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

hwestenhofer's review against another edition

5.0

When I read Tess of the d'Urbervilles, my first Hardy novel, I was enamored by his prose and the way he constructs a story and the subsequent depression and commentary on Victorian society. Jude the Obscure did not fall short of this precedent. Hardy crafts magnificent characters that enable you to see the horrors that can unfold when society's don't have the social support systems to help families and impoverished people (with the goal of eradicating it). Structurally, this novel is impeccable and filled with great tact and the symbolism embedded in the plot serves it greatly. I do not say this lightly, but this book is extremely depressing, and I don't recommend the faint at heart to read it; however, if you're open to your heart being ripped apart, I highly highly recommend checking this book out and Hardy's other texts.