Tess of the d'Urbervilles

I have come to really enjoy Hardy's writing. Unlike many of the authors of that era, he is comfortable writing about the servant class. They play a predominant role in this book and I feel it gives the story a more grounded feel than if it treated the servants as shadows as do many authors. Hardy also does an amazing job of portraying women. They are not all simpering idiots or haughty snobs! He conveys emotion very well.
The ending was a complete surprise to me and at first I was disappointed but as I settled with it, I realized it was the only way for it to end. I'd give it 5 stars except it took a while to get going. Once it hit it's stride though....... it was great.

This was a very good reading of the favorite classic. The Olde English may be difficult for some but it is a story that tells of the difference in morality and the plight of women in the 1800's. Any history buff will enjoy the story as it brings you back to those times.

When I first stared reading this book, I wasn't sure whether or not I liked or even understand what the story was about, but perhaps I was just expecting something else. Tess comes from a poor family, where she had to fend for her mother, father and siblings. In a dance one day she first saw Angel, a man that she was immediately taken to. She was forced to go out to the world to find a job when she killed her father's horse by accident. Tis little incident, dragged a spate of troubles with no way for her to escape them.

It's a good book that shows a realistic view of a woman who lived a hard life during I guess the middle ages. The book has a very unexpected ending and I loved it. I think you have to understand the loves of the peasants of the middle ages to really enjoy the story to it's best.