edwardian_girl_next_door's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love this book, for the simple reason that it's just an overall damn good book. I read it for pure enjoyment, and I was not disappointed. Something about the plot twists was so satisfying -- it was like a soap opera but with more eloquent language and a few Victorian literature stereotypes thrown in. The only critique I have is that the ending was rushed and incomplete. Perhaps Hardy was tired of writing it, which most writers can understand; but even Dickens, with his mammoth sagas and intricate webs of characters, ended most of his stories in a timely fashion. Even so, I give it four stars. The middle was so captivating and well-executed that I couldn't give it anything less. Just please check the content warnings, as the beginning is a little distressing.
Spoiler
Lucetta's death in particular just didn't sit right. You mean to tell me this woman survived Jersey, several incidents that almost lead to her exposure, married Henchard's rival, and then died when she saw a bunch of puppets??? And the onset of this was just her fainting??? Very lame indeed. The "rekindling" of Elizabeth and Donald Farfrae's romance was also rushed. The connection they had in the beginning seemed natural enough, but it seemed like Elizabeth got second best after Lucetta died. There was no time given to redeveloping their relationship as the narrative jumped through time while focusing on the remorseful Henchard. Their marriage was really unfair without any backstory behind it -- it was almost like Donald Farfrae cared more for Lucetta, and that was disappointing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Infidelity, Animal death, and Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage and Child death
jowmy4's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Slavery
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