laurenjpegler's review
2.0
Not my favourite Hardy by any means.
I found this one a little boring. It could have been told in half the page count. Not a lot happened and, for the most part, it was pure waffle, which, of course, is not fun to read. I thought Eustacia being considered a witch was quite an interesting thing to do in terms of plot and characterisation - it was Hardy to a T. However, I found that it was left unexplored in areas, and thus a little disappointing. Hardy could have definitely drawn that out, especially the town's superstition, and it would have improved the reading experience drastically.
Yeh, just a little bland, to be honest.
I found this one a little boring. It could have been told in half the page count. Not a lot happened and, for the most part, it was pure waffle, which, of course, is not fun to read. I thought Eustacia being considered a witch was quite an interesting thing to do in terms of plot and characterisation - it was Hardy to a T. However, I found that it was left unexplored in areas, and thus a little disappointing. Hardy could have definitely drawn that out, especially the town's superstition, and it would have improved the reading experience drastically.
Yeh, just a little bland, to be honest.
qqjj's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lizziethereader's review
3.0
This one took a while to get into but it's one of the Hardy stories that's worth the investment. There is actual plot with some nice twist and turns (and a hero to root for) and it has a few instances of the typical Hardy wit I enjoy so much (though not as many as I'd have liked).
theliteraryapothecary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
Bumping up to 3 stars upon reread.
Updating with review upon reread:
If there ever was a case of the audiobook narrator making the book, it's here. Originally I read this in physical format and gave it 2 stars. I couldn't follow anything that was happening to anyone. I felt completely lost. Alan Rickman's narration made it a little bit easier to follow (alhtough I was still lost in following everything), but more importantly, he made it so interesting that I didn't care so much about being able to follow the plot, I just wanted to hear what he had to say. My initial rating on reread was 3 stars.
CAWPILE breakdown:
Characters: 6 - There were a lot to keep track of and while a lot of them felt very similiar (or that's how it seemed to me at least), at least they were interesting.
Atmosphere/Setting: 5 - Aside from the beginning, I didn't really pay attention to the setting or atmosphere at all. So it's probably there, I just didn't notice it much. But the setting in that first chapter is what hooked me.
Writing Style: 4 - Hardy's writing is still hard for me, however Rickman's narration just made it slightly easier to follow and process and enjoy.
Plot: 3 - I honestly have no idea what the plot was without looking it up. I'm sure there is one... I just couldn't tell you what it was without having to read the description.
Intrigue: 4.5 - Just like a lot of things in this review, I'm sure there was intrigue, I just didn't feel it a whole lot of it. Maybe it's just me and I zoned out reading and so I didn't sense it as much as others. Just my personal view.
Logic/Relationships: 7 - This felt similar to a Jane Austen novel in which it is all about the relationships. That's one thing that I WAS able to follow.
Enjoyment: 6.5 - I tremendously enjoyed Rickman's narration. The book itself not so much. I found myself zoning out a lot. This review is mostly for Alan Rickman's narration, to be perfectly honest.
Total = 36/7 = 5.1 = 3 stars.
****
Review from First read (phyiscal read in 2017) - 2 stars: I had a hard time following everything that happened to everyone - and who everyone was. Stuff happened, people got married and had kids and some people died? A mother's heart was broken by who she thought was her son turning her away. ???
Updating with review upon reread:
If there ever was a case of the audiobook narrator making the book, it's here. Originally I read this in physical format and gave it 2 stars. I couldn't follow anything that was happening to anyone. I felt completely lost. Alan Rickman's narration made it a little bit easier to follow (alhtough I was still lost in following everything), but more importantly, he made it so interesting that I didn't care so much about being able to follow the plot, I just wanted to hear what he had to say. My initial rating on reread was 3 stars.
CAWPILE breakdown:
Characters: 6 - There were a lot to keep track of and while a lot of them felt very similiar (or that's how it seemed to me at least), at least they were interesting.
Atmosphere/Setting: 5 - Aside from the beginning, I didn't really pay attention to the setting or atmosphere at all. So it's probably there, I just didn't notice it much. But the setting in that first chapter is what hooked me.
Writing Style: 4 - Hardy's writing is still hard for me, however Rickman's narration just made it slightly easier to follow and process and enjoy.
Plot: 3 - I honestly have no idea what the plot was without looking it up. I'm sure there is one... I just couldn't tell you what it was without having to read the description.
Intrigue: 4.5 - Just like a lot of things in this review, I'm sure there was intrigue, I just didn't feel it a whole lot of it. Maybe it's just me and I zoned out reading and so I didn't sense it as much as others. Just my personal view.
Logic/Relationships: 7 - This felt similar to a Jane Austen novel in which it is all about the relationships. That's one thing that I WAS able to follow.
Enjoyment: 6.5 - I tremendously enjoyed Rickman's narration. The book itself not so much. I found myself zoning out a lot. This review is mostly for Alan Rickman's narration, to be perfectly honest.
Total = 36/7 = 5.1 = 3 stars.
****
Review from First read (phyiscal read in 2017) - 2 stars: I had a hard time following everything that happened to everyone - and who everyone was. Stuff happened, people got married and had kids and some people died? A mother's heart was broken by who she thought was her son turning her away. ???
bibliotequeish's review against another edition
3.0
This book had its highs and its lows, like most Thomas Hardy books I waver between love and hate.
This book started off beautifully, but slowly, once the characters were properly established it picked up.
I often found it difficult to feel sorry for Eustacia, a dreamer wanting to leave the drabby Heath, longing for Paris, doing what she thinks she must do to get there, only to end up deeper in the Heath.
While it was a little slow, it was still a great read, however if I were to recommend a Hardy book to a friend, it probably would not be this one.
This book started off beautifully, but slowly, once the characters were properly established it picked up.
I often found it difficult to feel sorry for Eustacia, a dreamer wanting to leave the drabby Heath, longing for Paris, doing what she thinks she must do to get there, only to end up deeper in the Heath.
While it was a little slow, it was still a great read, however if I were to recommend a Hardy book to a friend, it probably would not be this one.
rissaleighs's review against another edition
2.0
I would give this 1.5 stars if that were an option. Totally didn't figure out why this book is considered one of the "greats." The writing was lugubrious, and the characters were ninnies, and there wasn't anything particularly profound or positive in the book to make up for it.
To be fair to Thomas Hardy, I do remember liking Tess of D'Urbervilles and Far From the Madding Crowd when I read them in high school. But this one just didn't trip my trigger.
To be fair to Thomas Hardy, I do remember liking Tess of D'Urbervilles and Far From the Madding Crowd when I read them in high school. But this one just didn't trip my trigger.
shellystilger's review against another edition
3.0
The audiobook narrated by Alan Rickman is an extremely enjoyable listen. His voice is perfectly suitable to the material. The material is bleak and morose, but the prose is beautiful. Sad story, wonderfully written.
liisu's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5