Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - Tess of the D'Urbervilles

It's been said by most reviewers but this book was heartbreaking. Not only because of the plight that Tess goes through but because nearly 200 years later women across the globe are still facing the same unfairness.

Although I see this book mainly as an exploration of how women's actions are policed and judged, it still touches on other subjects such as poverty, industrialisation, and rural Britain's changing face in the 19th century. And as always, it includes Hardy's lush descriptions of landscapes, settings, and weather that he is unmatched for.

Not a happy classic, but an important one nonetheless.

Content Warnings

angelbabe_cj's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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hannahr's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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nothingforpomegranted's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Tess of the d'Urbervilles tells the story of a young woman whose father is an alcoholic farmer with a tendency to pass out drunk in the local pub. When he is told that he is a descendant of a landed family, his Durbyfield name a perversion of what was once d'Urberville, his willingness to work dwindles, and Tess, her mother, and her siblings become desperate to make up for his delusions of grandeur. Tess is sent to purported relations, another family who has claimed the d'Urberville name, and becomes the favorite of a young Alec d'Urberville. Their relationship is fraught and complicated and has tremendous effects on Tess's life.

When she moves to a dairy farm to work as a milkmaid, she both intimidates and awes the other young women, who admire her beauty and fortitude. The same qualities entrance Angel Clare, a pastor's son who has decided not to pursue a career in the church, rather hoping to buy and run a farm of his own. This ill-fated love story takes one depressing turn after another, and it is difficult to read about the life of Tess, who is subject to countless double standards based on her sexuality and wealth.

This book has stunning descriptions of nature and rural life, and it is meaningful for its early criticism of the expectations of young women and their purity. However, I found it phenomenally boring until the completely surprising ending, which seemed to come out of nowhere, and to be honest, I didn't really buy the whole premise of the Durbyfields descending from the d'Urbervilles. I wasn't convinced by the peasant, and it frustrated me that everyone accepted this truth outright, which really threw off my enjoyment of the entire book. Frankly, it seemed like more of a plot device than anything, serving more to bring Tess and Alec together than to actually impact the character of our heroine, and I found this to be distracting and frustrating.

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