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A review by stephh
Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It's been a solid 10 years since I read this, and although I didn't enjoy it as much as my initial read, it was still an excellent book in being a shocking read for its time. I love reading a book that's been banned or censored in the past and seeing what content made people upset, and this is a really interesting example.
As the oldest sister of her family, it's Tess' responsibility to look after her siblings (and her parents when they get too drunk at the local pub). But when her father finds out their family goes back to an ancient noble family called the D'Ubervilles, the pressure on Tess is about to increase. Sent away to a distant relative, Tess is assaulted by a 'cousin' of hers, and must spend the rest of her life deciding whether to tell people or keep this a big secret.
I'd really forgotten how quickly you descend into the drama in this book. I think within the first 50 pages or so, we see Tess' r*pe by the villain Alex D'Uberville. The next 300 or so pages are very Hardy-esque and were very slow and descriptive, and then the final 100 or so really shocked me and kept me turning the pages. I'd completely forgotten how this ends, and it was a real revelation to see what actually happened towards the book's end. This is of course absolutely one of Hardy's greats, and you can see why it's studied.
As the oldest sister of her family, it's Tess' responsibility to look after her siblings (and her parents when they get too drunk at the local pub). But when her father finds out their family goes back to an ancient noble family called the D'Ubervilles, the pressure on Tess is about to increase. Sent away to a distant relative, Tess is assaulted by a 'cousin' of hers, and must spend the rest of her life deciding whether to tell people or keep this a big secret.
I'd really forgotten how quickly you descend into the drama in this book. I think within the first 50 pages or so, we see Tess' r*pe by the villain Alex D'Uberville. The next 300 or so pages are very Hardy-esque and were very slow and descriptive, and then the final 100 or so really shocked me and kept me turning the pages. I'd completely forgotten how this ends, and it was a real revelation to see what actually happened towards the book's end. This is of course absolutely one of Hardy's greats, and you can see why it's studied.
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape