Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Tess Durbeyfield is still only a young girl when he father learns from the local clergyman that he is one of the last living descendants of an ancient English noble family. As the Durbeyfields are very poor, they soon convince Tess to present herself to a rich old woman and her son who live nearby, named D'Urberville. They believe them to be their rich relations and all but force Tess to ask for help in their dire need. What none of them can know is that these supposed relatives have only come by the name by purchasing it after having made a fortune, to elevate themselves from their origins as humble merchants. When Tess presents herself at the D'Urberville house, she is greeted by Alec D'Urberville, a young man who quickly proves to be a womanizing bully, who right away claims to be in love with the beautiful young Tess and contrives to have her live under his roof and work for him under false pretences. He uses every means at his disposal to break down Tess's defences and takes advantage of her one day, which, because this is a 19th century novel and no unmarried woman could have a sexual encounter without the most disastrous consequences, will of course determine the course of the rest of poor Tess's life and end in great tragedy. I’ve seen many people comment on Hardy's proclivity for writing depressing stories about doomed heroines, but if you happen to be in the mood for a fine 19th century tragic bucolic romance, this is just the ticket. I was too young to see Nastassja Kinski famously playing the role of Tess when Roman Polanski's classic movie came out in theatres, but that young woman's fragile beauty was at the forefront of my mind throughout this reading, which helped make the story that much more poignant somehow. A novel I'll be sure to revisit in future.

yes

Mayor of Casterbridge and jude the Obscure, same sns of the inexorable destiny

Th mood, the voices, he was amazing

The hazards of pride

All Hardy books should be read by Simon Vance

I expected so much more from this book. True, the novel challenged many of the socially accepted views of its time, but as a novel I found it lacking in quality, especially compared to some contemporary works. To my taste, hardly a character in the book was especially interesting or psychologically credible. On top of this, the novel suffers from the extreme "goodness" of some characters, opposed with the clear "evilness" of others, and has none of the saving wit or sarcasm of Dickens or Trollope. I also found the symbolism (seasons of the year, omens, ancient ritual sites) rather childish and spoon fed to the reader, considering that this work was written around the same period as Middlemarch or any of Dostoyevsky's masterpieces.

Then again, my view seems to be the exception in this case, so if you're looking a reading of this book, I would recommend this one without hesitation. As usual, Simon Vance (alias Robert Whitfield in many of his beautiful Dickens audiobooks) delivers an outstanding performance.

I have read Far From the Madding Crowd and I found it more enjoyable.

I find that with books set in theis era it is easier to "read" with an audiobook. I like to read the book while listening and it really helps my comprehension. I highly recommend this tactic.

It is a dull story and far too long. The Tess of the d'Urbervilles is not at all interesting or fun.