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jillkahnwald's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cami19's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
genevieve_and_her_books's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-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? Yes
3.75
mysteriesofmar's review against another edition
5.0
i have no idea why i was putting off reading a thomas hardy because, boy, did i enjoy this.
this book is filled with characters you love to hate, and thus the demise of anyone feels really righteous and deserved. i sound like a terrible person when i say that, but honestly most of the enjoyment of reading this novel for me came from the downfall of the main characters after everything they had put each other through. while loathesome and annoying, the main characters seem like caricatures but also very real at the same time. in modern contexts, i'm sure there are a lot of plots and stories that can follow eustacia's (is there a late 90's/early 00's movie based off of this because there should be). the plot moved along a little slowly at first, but once it picked up towards the second half, it was hard to put the book down.
highly recommend for an interesting story about the desire of escape and grandeur, and how we may make grave mistakes that cost us our happiness in our pursuit for them.
this book is filled with characters you love to hate, and thus the demise of anyone feels really righteous and deserved. i sound like a terrible person when i say that, but honestly most of the enjoyment of reading this novel for me came from the downfall of the main characters after everything they had put each other through. while loathesome and annoying, the main characters seem like caricatures but also very real at the same time. in modern contexts, i'm sure there are a lot of plots and stories that can follow eustacia's (is there a late 90's/early 00's movie based off of this because there should be). the plot moved along a little slowly at first, but once it picked up towards the second half, it was hard to put the book down.
highly recommend for an interesting story about the desire of escape and grandeur, and how we may make grave mistakes that cost us our happiness in our pursuit for them.
bean27's review against another edition
4.5
this started out kind of middling for me than the other hardy books i've read. i connected to the prose but not as much to the characters or the plot. that changed in the last third, however. what a masterpiece.
hadeanstars's review against another edition
5.0
Undoubtedly my favourite novel, beautifully written, haunting, full of passion and superb characterisation and ultimately tragic like all Hardy's best works, but not nearly so downbeat as Jude (which I also love).
Updated for a fresh read, some thirty years later. Still wonderful, and my impressions this time around are somewhat changed. I have much more sympathy for Eustacia, more for Clym too, possibly even less for Wildeve. A fantastic work of brilliant austerity.
Updated for a fresh read, some thirty years later. Still wonderful, and my impressions this time around are somewhat changed. I have much more sympathy for Eustacia, more for Clym too, possibly even less for Wildeve. A fantastic work of brilliant austerity.
cjones16's review against another edition
2.0
This was such a disappointment after Tess of the d'Urbervilles. It was so stagnant until the incredibly melodramatic ending.