Reviews

Re-read, Victober 2022: Still blown away by a couple of remarkably well-written passages, still adoring the humble shepherd Gabriel, still planning to rewatch the 2015 movie and revel in the beautiful pastoral scenes.
But.
My enjoyment was somewhat lessened this time by Hardy's failure to write a believable female character. Bathsheba is no dummy, except she is. She makes no sense. Here's an example which rubbed me all the wrong ways, a scene between her and Boldwood:

[Boldwood:] "You never liked me.”

“I did; and respected you, too.”

“Do you now?”

“Yes.”

“Which?”

“How do you mean which?”

“Do you like me, or do you respect me?”

“I don’t know—at least, I cannot tell you. It is difficult for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs."

Now, in my Kindle, this last sentence is shown to have been highlighted nearly 1,000 times. That's crazy. And I can bet that most of the people highlighting it think it strikes some kind of blow in support of feminism, right?
But I don't think it does.
Because below the surface, it simply feels like Hardy is boxing Bathsheba in, as something other than an intelligent human person.
"Look, poor Bathsheba can't use her words. In fact, women are so mysterious and incomprehensible, that there actually aren't any words they can use. What a pity. I guess no one will ever understand them."

Yeah, right, Hardy.

It's funny, as time goes on, I am becoming less inclined to buy what I'm sold in books like these. But, truly, most of Hardy's female dialogue is just terrible. As well as his attempts to explain what makes them tick. Ugh.

But Gabriel Oak is still amazing, and that movie is still the sole catalyst for me wanting to have a sheep farm in Britain some day, so I guess you could say there are highs and lows here.

Best writing in the whole book was early on, when Gabriel is keeping vigil over his flock by starlight. Truly gorgeous words.

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Original 2016 review follows:

This was a pretty satisfying read because the language is just so great, and unlike a lot of Thomas Hardy's other books, there's a reasonably happy ending. I mean, there's some tragedy, but not an unbearable amount.
The story is worthwhile for Gabriel Oak aside from anything else. He's amazing! He's the solid pillar in Bathsheba's otherwise uncertain world. He's in love with her, but after a first rejection, he relegates himself to the post of friend, advisor, and employee. He's a humble shepherd, a deeply moral man, and hugely unselfish.
I have varying feelings about Bathsheba. She has three suitors. One can respect her initial decision about Gabriel (sort of, maybe), and her later hesitation over middle-aged Boldwood... but then there's Troy?? He's not all bad, but he really doesn't fit into the life she's building, and that's a bit painful to read.

I watched the new movie and was very taken by it, which prompted me to read the book. I'm also in the process of watching the adaptation from the 1990s, which is much longer and therefore can include more from the book. I like them both.

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