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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Joyous. What a beautiful ending to a classic romance set in an old and rural England.
From the beginning the description of the rolling hills and flowers, the seasons, the weather and the people within captured me. The beautiful end to the penultimate chapter describes the unquenchable nature of a love that is born out of long-term acquaintance and friendship (thus proving that friends to lovers, has always been the better trope).
It seems like at times Hardy has written Bathsheba to make poor decisions/have strange reactions to things and then blame her because she’s a woman… obviously this was normal for the time but still took away a bit of joy for me episodically.
Would recommend because it’s a nice middle ground between contemporary, easy-reading romance and Austen-level classics which can be hard to access.
My second Hardy book and I enjoyed it almost as much as I did Tess of the d'Urbervilles. I really enjoyed the staid, dependable character of Gabriel Oak, who much like his surname weathers the storms of Bathsheba and stands firm through the turbulent years described in the novel. Bathsheba Everdene represents the turbulent desires of the youthful heart, swayed by passions of the moment, she finds herself embroiled in troubles of her own making as well as those who break through her defenses to appeal to her love of danger and mystery. William Boldwood, is perhaps the representation of the Victorian gentleman whose passions have been forever veiled by his sense of purpose in life. Through the indiscrete toying of Bathsheba becomes the fourth corner in this love square.
Overall, the book was captivating, well-paced, and well written. Hardy doesn't allow the plot to slow to a crawl like some other Victorian-era authors, and uses the landscape in such a wonderfully expressive way. I found myself referring to Wikipedia to look up various events or names used by Hardy, especially those of Roman or Greek origin. It did not, however, detract from my enjoyment of the reading process. I felt I was being educated in the process.
I don't like spoiler reviews so I won't go through the plot any more, but I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience in this tragic tale. I also cannot wait for my next Hardy novel, Return of the Native.
Overall, the book was captivating, well-paced, and well written. Hardy doesn't allow the plot to slow to a crawl like some other Victorian-era authors, and uses the landscape in such a wonderfully expressive way. I found myself referring to Wikipedia to look up various events or names used by Hardy, especially those of Roman or Greek origin. It did not, however, detract from my enjoyment of the reading process. I felt I was being educated in the process.
I don't like spoiler reviews so I won't go through the plot any more, but I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience in this tragic tale. I also cannot wait for my next Hardy novel, Return of the Native.
adventurous
funny
reflective
slow-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:
Yes
Gabriel Oak…………
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Far From the Madding Crowd feels like a natural followup to Under the Greenwood Tree, which has very similar concerns with the plight of the rural working man and uses a love story to drive the plot forward.
This is still Hardy before his characters really began to really suffer for their romantic entanglements. Of course, you might argue Bathsheba's irritating affair with Sergeant Troy is rather tragic, as is Farmer Boldwood's unrequited love for Bathsheba, but ultimately Farmer Oak and Bathsheba end up together happily ever after (almost), as though fate had always intended it that way.
There is something in the triumph of emotion over reason here. Even Farmer Oak, who comes to be the true north pointing towards the sensible path, begins the novel with a slightly precipitate proposal. When you think about it, Hardy is a bit of a die-hard romantic in that love is always at the core of his novels, even if the love affairs so often end badly (ahem Tess, ahem Jude). He might be hugely concerned with social issues, but they always seem to be woven into a book that is laid out like a novel about the trials and tribulations of the heart.
And what to make of the gender politics here? Bathsheba gamely runs her own farm as an unorthodox female bailiff, but ultimately cedes the position back to a man, having brought the farm to near ruin - through no fault of her own, but through over-indulging a feckless man.
I'm going to seem very churlish for this, but there is one overriding reason I could never love this novel, and that is Bathsheba falling for Troy. Call me cold hearted, but I cannot endorse or indulge a character who is presented as intelligent but persists in being utterly reckless by marrying someone so evidently unsuitable. It was just too jarring for me, too aggravating, and while it may not be beyond the realms of possibility, I cannot root for a Bathsheba who marries a Troy, even if it is only to temporarily stave off the somewhat over-serious Gabriel Oak as a spouse.
This is still Hardy before his characters really began to really suffer for their romantic entanglements. Of course, you might argue Bathsheba's irritating affair with Sergeant Troy is rather tragic, as is Farmer Boldwood's unrequited love for Bathsheba, but ultimately Farmer Oak and Bathsheba end up together happily ever after (almost), as though fate had always intended it that way.
There is something in the triumph of emotion over reason here. Even Farmer Oak, who comes to be the true north pointing towards the sensible path, begins the novel with a slightly precipitate proposal. When you think about it, Hardy is a bit of a die-hard romantic in that love is always at the core of his novels, even if the love affairs so often end badly (ahem Tess, ahem Jude). He might be hugely concerned with social issues, but they always seem to be woven into a book that is laid out like a novel about the trials and tribulations of the heart.
And what to make of the gender politics here? Bathsheba gamely runs her own farm as an unorthodox female bailiff, but ultimately cedes the position back to a man, having brought the farm to near ruin - through no fault of her own, but through over-indulging a feckless man.
I'm going to seem very churlish for this, but there is one overriding reason I could never love this novel, and that is Bathsheba falling for Troy. Call me cold hearted, but I cannot endorse or indulge a character who is presented as intelligent but persists in being utterly reckless by marrying someone so evidently unsuitable. It was just too jarring for me, too aggravating, and while it may not be beyond the realms of possibility, I cannot root for a Bathsheba who marries a Troy, even if it is only to temporarily stave off the somewhat over-serious Gabriel Oak as a spouse.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I took me a little bit to get into this book, mostly because of the elaborate descriptions at the beginning of several of the characters. Once I passed that, I enjoyed the Victorian writing style and the juicy story which can easily rival with any movie plot or soap opera.
Behind the gossipy plot, I read this novel as a criticism of the strict roles of man and women in the 19th century, and the notion of pureness, honor, and so on. The (female) main character, Bathsheba, is blamed for a lot of what's happening (and blames herself) where indeed the men surrounding her are mostly acting irrational, entitled and possessive.
Behind the gossipy plot, I read this novel as a criticism of the strict roles of man and women in the 19th century, and the notion of pureness, honor, and so on. The (female) main character, Bathsheba, is blamed for a lot of what's happening (and blames herself) where indeed the men surrounding her are mostly acting irrational, entitled and possessive.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've read Far From the Madding Crowd over the course of several months for a Storygraph readalong, and it was a great motivation to stick to it and get to the end.
I had some preconceived notions about how the story was going to unravel (based on comments heard over the years), especially in regard to the romantic relationships, but the actual narrative turned out to be quite different from my expectations. I was particularly surprised by Bathsheba and Gabriel's relationship, I thought that it would have been more prominent in terms of space dedicated to its development and exploration.
The unfolding of the story is a bit on the slow side but there are some twists and turns to keep the readers engaged, and I have to admit that I gasped at some of the more shocking events and revelations. However, I struggled a bit with the characters and their portrayals. Sometimes it was difficult to reconcile how these charaters had been built up in the narrative with their subsequent emotions and actions.
The author's portrayal of women was also a bit of a mixed bag for me personally. On the one hand, I really appreciated how Bathsheba was established as a farmer in her own right, in spite of all backlash and prejuidice. On the other, some of the comments about women (especially related to their emotional side) left a really bad taste in my mouth. Just an example from the very last chapter:
I had some preconceived notions about how the story was going to unravel (based on comments heard over the years), especially in regard to the romantic relationships, but the actual narrative turned out to be quite different from my expectations. I was particularly surprised by Bathsheba and Gabriel's relationship, I thought that it would have been more prominent in terms of space dedicated to its development and exploration.
The unfolding of the story is a bit on the slow side but there are some twists and turns to keep the readers engaged, and I have to admit that I gasped at some of the more shocking events and revelations. However, I struggled a bit with the characters and their portrayals. Sometimes it was difficult to reconcile how these charaters had been built up in the narrative with their subsequent emotions and actions.
The author's portrayal of women was also a bit of a mixed bag for me personally. On the one hand, I really appreciated how Bathsheba was established as a farmer in her own right, in spite of all backlash and prejuidice. On the other, some of the comments about women (especially related to their emotional side) left a really bad taste in my mouth. Just an example from the very last chapter:
Bathsheba's feeling was always to some extent dependent upon her whim, as in the case with many other women.
Hardy is well-known for his descriptions of the landscape; certainly, there were some beautiful passages but there were also times when I felt like the focus on the natural elements was a bit excessive and
overwrought.
I'm still glad I finally got around to reading a novel by Hardy, but I didn't enjoy it as much as expected.
I'm still glad I finally got around to reading a novel by Hardy, but I didn't enjoy it as much as expected.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Death, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide