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m_potato 's review for:
The Return of the Native
by Thomas Hardy
**This review may contain spoilers**
"Little tadpoles and efts began to bubble up through the water, and to race along beneath it; toads made noises like very young ducks, and advanced to the margin in twos and threes; overhead, bumble-bees flew hither and thither in the thickening light, their drone coming and going like the sound of a gong."
This book has a bleak atmosphere throughout, and the main characters were miserable most of the time. While misfortunes happen one after another, the book’s depressive tone is in striking contrast to its beautiful prose.
This book has grabbed my heart, and is my ideal novel in every way. The writing is poetic with fascinating characters and an amazing plot. I normally enjoy getting to know each character more than reading about the twists and turns of the plot, but this book made me realise how a great plot can influence our reading experience. The story often made unexpected turns, and I never knew what would happen next. Wildeve and Diggory’s night-time gambling scene was so intense and engaging. It was funny that they kept playing the game by the light of glow-worms after their lantern went off.
I really liked the characterisation by Hardy. The way he described the people and their relationships was so precise. I could not agree more with Clym when he confessed his feelings after having lived in Paris.
"I am not sorry to have the opportunity. I've come home because, all things considered, I can be a trifle less useless here than anywhere else."
"I found that I was trying to be like people who had hardly anything in common with myself. I was endeavouring to put off one sort of life for another sort of life, which was not better than the life I had known before. It was simply different."
Even the more unlikeable characters, Wildeve and Eustasia, charmed me strangely. The isolation and constant unhappiness they felt somewhat resonated with me. I felt so sorry that they were caught up in circumstances and could not change the course of their lives. Certainly they deserved better lives. So did Clym and Thomasin.
Clym and Eustasia’s short period of happiness was summarized perfectly.
"They were like those double stars which revolve round and round each other, and from a distance appear to be one. The absolute solitude in which they lived intensified their reciprocal thoughts; yet some might have said that it had the disadvantage of consuming their mutual affections at a fearfully prodigal rate. "
The nicest person in this book was of course Diggory Venn - a quiet, determined and selfless man. Although I know Hardy intended a different ending, I was so happy that Venn found his happiness in the end.
In terms of theme and setting, this book is very similar to Wuthering Heights but with much better story telling. The Return of the Native is one of my absolute favourite books with 5+ stars.
"Little tadpoles and efts began to bubble up through the water, and to race along beneath it; toads made noises like very young ducks, and advanced to the margin in twos and threes; overhead, bumble-bees flew hither and thither in the thickening light, their drone coming and going like the sound of a gong."
This book has a bleak atmosphere throughout, and the main characters were miserable most of the time. While misfortunes happen one after another, the book’s depressive tone is in striking contrast to its beautiful prose.
This book has grabbed my heart, and is my ideal novel in every way. The writing is poetic with fascinating characters and an amazing plot. I normally enjoy getting to know each character more than reading about the twists and turns of the plot, but this book made me realise how a great plot can influence our reading experience. The story often made unexpected turns, and I never knew what would happen next. Wildeve and Diggory’s night-time gambling scene was so intense and engaging. It was funny that they kept playing the game by the light of glow-worms after their lantern went off.
I really liked the characterisation by Hardy. The way he described the people and their relationships was so precise. I could not agree more with Clym when he confessed his feelings after having lived in Paris.
"I am not sorry to have the opportunity. I've come home because, all things considered, I can be a trifle less useless here than anywhere else."
"I found that I was trying to be like people who had hardly anything in common with myself. I was endeavouring to put off one sort of life for another sort of life, which was not better than the life I had known before. It was simply different."
Even the more unlikeable characters, Wildeve and Eustasia, charmed me strangely. The isolation and constant unhappiness they felt somewhat resonated with me. I felt so sorry that they were caught up in circumstances and could not change the course of their lives. Certainly they deserved better lives. So did Clym and Thomasin.
Clym and Eustasia’s short period of happiness was summarized perfectly.
"They were like those double stars which revolve round and round each other, and from a distance appear to be one. The absolute solitude in which they lived intensified their reciprocal thoughts; yet some might have said that it had the disadvantage of consuming their mutual affections at a fearfully prodigal rate. "
The nicest person in this book was of course Diggory Venn - a quiet, determined and selfless man. Although I know Hardy intended a different ending, I was so happy that Venn found his happiness in the end.
In terms of theme and setting, this book is very similar to Wuthering Heights but with much better story telling. The Return of the Native is one of my absolute favourite books with 5+ stars.