reading_ani 's review for:

Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

3.5

emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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It was really difficult to find the “correct” rating for this book.. on the one hand, I’m an English graduate, so it’s sort of a requirement to have read this book at least once in my lifetime (not least because it’s every English literature student’s dream when it comes to analyzing it because it’s overflowing with literature tropes). And yet, I’m also a person who tried reading this for fun, and fun I definitely did NOT have with this book. For me, it was the personification of “a woman simply exists and men interpret their own little agenda of what this woman simply has to think and do.” I gagged so many times throughout the book when someone described Tess as temptress even though she simply stood somewhere (ideally with her basket), but men kept telling her that her eyes or figure in working clothes was simply too tempting and distracting for them to ignore. To be perfectly honest, if I hadn’t listened to this book on audiobook format and in 1,75 to 2 times speed, I NEVER would have finished it! It was so unbearable listening to the men in this book talk to her and think about her. But unfortunately I’m a completionist, so I had no other choice but listen to it in full because I knew, if I took even the smallest of breaks with it, I never would have finished it. The story itself is great. The writing style is great. I just really hate the prevalent misogyny in the story… which I obviously know was very common for that time period, but the bulk of it in this book made it an unbearable and painful read.