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giulip_emrys's review against another edition
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
proseamongstthorns's review against another edition
2.0
At times, this novel was thoroughly engaging. It focuses on ideals of beauty and art, on time and gender in an original and provoking way. Though ultimately remains too unbelievable to really allow the reader to connect. It treads the line between realism and pure fantasy and this confusion within itself seems to result in an alienation of the reader. At no point was I fully invested in plot or character and this restricts the emotional responses any reader can experience. It was an interesting read and I don’t regret spending my time on it, however it became difficult at times to continue on and if it was not part of my university curriculum then I likely would have given up.
chchchazley's review against another edition
An eloquent exploration of a flaky, commitment-impaired man. I never could decide if he was being completely ironic, or just partly. If it really is autobiographical, then I feel sorry for Hardy, though more than a little in awe of his honesty.
wolfsonarchitect's review against another edition
4.0
This is an under appreciated Hardy novel. I found it interesting in his exploration of the feminine ideal and identity (rural vs London). It’s also somewhat creepy in having this man fall in love with three generations of women, each in their 20s although he’s successively 20, 40, 60. It reminds me of Groucho Marx who married 3 times and each time his wife was 21 years old.
niheed's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
libbystephenson's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
xanderarey's review against another edition
2.0
Just meh. I couldn’t get into it despite being interested in the synopsis. At least it’s short.
up2nogood's review against another edition
4.0
Read because Cmbyn lol.
Love the idea behind it but, sadly, not the execution. It was a bit boring imo.
Love the idea behind it but, sadly, not the execution. It was a bit boring imo.
rafalovesreading's review against another edition
4.0
Thomas Hardy my fav ever, but this was for sure a weird little book. Honestly, I really enjoyed it. Jocelyn is absolutely insane, but I legitimately liked reading about his pursuit of the "perfect woman." At times, I even found myself rooting for Jocelyn. As Jocelyn gets older, I found it really interesting how Hardy juxtaposes Jocelyn's outer appearance to his inner youth of the heart. The basis of the story is really weird, but [b:The Well-Beloved|699468|The Well-Beloved|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1177383171l/699468._SY75_.jpg|1090907] definitely has many complex layers that make it a captivating read. 4.5 stars!!
polyhy_14's review against another edition
3.0
Well written, as always, but this time the characters didn't engage me as much as they usually do in Hardy's novels.