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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
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
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
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
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Actually, I didn't read it. I listened to Michael Ian Black read it on his podcast "Jude the Obscure" and feel in LOVE with it - probably due to the podcasters irreverence and humor while mansplaining the Hardy text.
This book isn't bad. I came into this with very low expectations after hearing it was sad, sadder, and sadder. Jude the Obscure definitely tumbled down that path.
As I read this for English IV AP, I didn't finish the last chapter (just because we didn't have to & I spark-noted the rest) but my review still encompasses this novel as a whole.
I definitely dislike the portrayal of women in this book- they come off as manipulators and fickle which plays in more to the female stereotype. Jude was an enjoyable, gentle soul- I had no problems with him.
What I did have problems with were his relationships with Arabella and Sue. They went in endless cycles that bored me out of my mind. I do appreciate his message about marriage and the social criticism he subtly conveys about societal pressures on unmarried couples and children born out of wedlock...
Ok, the last chapter back at Christminster was f*cking insane. Honestly, I couldn't believe what happened. Everything spiraled downhill so quickly and overall, the ending made this book ever the more memorable and Thomas Hardy's message is engrained in my soul forever.
And for a classic, this novel was surprisingly easy to read! Might read Tess in the future...
As I read this for English IV AP, I didn't finish the last chapter (just because we didn't have to & I spark-noted the rest) but my review still encompasses this novel as a whole.
I definitely dislike the portrayal of women in this book- they come off as manipulators and fickle which plays in more to the female stereotype. Jude was an enjoyable, gentle soul- I had no problems with him.
What I did have problems with were his relationships with Arabella and Sue. They went in endless cycles that bored me out of my mind. I do appreciate his message about marriage and the social criticism he subtly conveys about societal pressures on unmarried couples and children born out of wedlock...
Ok, the last chapter back at Christminster was f*cking insane. Honestly, I couldn't believe what happened. Everything spiraled downhill so quickly and overall, the ending made this book ever the more memorable and Thomas Hardy's message is engrained in my soul forever.
And for a classic, this novel was surprisingly easy to read! Might read Tess in the future...
Man, this book was rough. I thought The Secret History was the most depressing book I've ever read, but now I'm almost certain it is Jude the Obscure.
Everything about this book makes your heart hurt. Every character is constantly suffering, due to no fault of their own, but merely because of the unfair society in which they live. Jude the Obscure is a total social critique, criticizing practically every aspect of Victorian society. Religion, Marriage, Class, Education, all of it. This is fundamentally a story of two twin souls, ordained by the universe to be together, who are forced into a downward spiral merely because of the society in which they live. They can find no peace, no refuge, no safety. They are perpetually wandering, perpetually seeking something that they will never find. Jude's entire life is oriented around one, unachievable goal and because of that he is naturally predestined to a life of near endless suffering. Just as you think things might be turning in their favor, they suffer even more.
The psychological complexity and realism of these characters is unmatched by nearly any author before or after, save Dostoevsky. Hardy is an incredible writer, born 50 years too early to see his style ever truly reach its apex in the Modernists. Every character is a living, breathing person with complex, shifting motives and never feel one-dimensional or absurd.
This book is an emotional, stunning masterpiece that I think everyone should read at some point in their lives. But be warned, your heart may never recover from the injury of this book.
Everything about this book makes your heart hurt. Every character is constantly suffering, due to no fault of their own, but merely because of the unfair society in which they live. Jude the Obscure is a total social critique, criticizing practically every aspect of Victorian society. Religion, Marriage, Class, Education, all of it. This is fundamentally a story of two twin souls, ordained by the universe to be together, who are forced into a downward spiral merely because of the society in which they live. They can find no peace, no refuge, no safety. They are perpetually wandering, perpetually seeking something that they will never find. Jude's entire life is oriented around one, unachievable goal and because of that he is naturally predestined to a life of near endless suffering. Just as you think things might be turning in their favor, they suffer even more.
The psychological complexity and realism of these characters is unmatched by nearly any author before or after, save Dostoevsky. Hardy is an incredible writer, born 50 years too early to see his style ever truly reach its apex in the Modernists. Every character is a living, breathing person with complex, shifting motives and never feel one-dimensional or absurd.
This book is an emotional, stunning masterpiece that I think everyone should read at some point in their lives. But be warned, your heart may never recover from the injury of this book.
"We said—do you remember?—that we would make a virtue of joy."
A book about choice, a wheel that grinds us into dust.
A book about choice, a wheel that grinds us into dust.
Hey, Jude...So you didn't get into Oxford (Christminster)..
You don't have to date your annoying cousin....
Remember, there's always a nice state school
or maybe even community college.....
In all seriousness, I did feel very bad for Jude--to a point.
However, if titles were honest, I think the title of this book would be "Jude the very long story about denied college admissions and courting Sue Bridehead, the official queen of mixed signals, with some extra tragedy along the way."
Am I evil because I sort of rooted for Arabella in the end????
You don't have to date your annoying cousin....
Remember, there's always a nice state school
or maybe even community college.....
In all seriousness, I did feel very bad for Jude--to a point.
However, if titles were honest, I think the title of this book would be "Jude the very long story about denied college admissions and courting Sue Bridehead, the official queen of mixed signals, with some extra tragedy along the way."
Am I evil because I sort of rooted for Arabella in the end????