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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
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
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ugh. Such an exhausting, frustrating, and well written glimpse of life in Victorian England. Glad that’s over with.
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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:
Yes
Finally got around to my re-read 5 years later, and my rating is remaining the same. The first half is honestly a little boring. The second half is much more entertaining. While this isn't one of my favorite Hardy's (partly due to the fact that his beautiful nature writing isn't present here, and Sue is a bit annoying in a way I don't find his other heroines), this novel explores Hardy's probably most interesting and dynamic relationship. Hardy includes blatant challenges of social norms against class, education, religion, marriage, and sexual relationships. One of the reasons I love Hardy so much is that he is able and willing to confront Victorian boundaries and conventions in a relatively short page count compared to his peers. It's unfortunate that he received such visceral hate once this was published that he gave up writing novels entirely. Just think what else he could have done for the remaining 30-some years of his life!
([b:Tess of the D'Urbervilles|32261|Tess of the D'Urbervilles|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1633063778l/32261._SY75_.jpg|3331021] and [b:Far From the Madding Crowd|31463|Far From the Madding Crowd|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631259654l/31463._SY75_.jpg|914540] will forever by my favorite works of his, though).
([b:Tess of the D'Urbervilles|32261|Tess of the D'Urbervilles|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1633063778l/32261._SY75_.jpg|3331021] and [b:Far From the Madding Crowd|31463|Far From the Madding Crowd|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631259654l/31463._SY75_.jpg|914540] will forever by my favorite works of his, though).
SPOILERS: This book is a fantastic book. I love Hardy. His books or very deep and dark and very very sad. When I first read this book it was for an assignment and class I was thinking "just another weird english book I have to read" and when I started reading it took me right away. When I got the the ending of the book when the all the children died. I lierally cried and simply had to push myself to read the rest. It was just too much to handle for me. And the way he died was just horrible. They should remake the movie. It will forever be implanted in my head
If you don't like sad books, steer clear of this one. To call this book 'sad' though seems too shallow, this truly is the most hope-destroying, depressing book I have ever read. It's the sort of book that will make you want to hide under your blankets for weeks after reading it, but it will also change your life. Tragic, but absolutely stunning.