Tess of the d'Urbervilles (Naxos)

By: Thomas Hardy

Narrated by: Anna Bentinck

Socially critical and emotionally complex, Tess of the d'Urbervilles is Hardy's masterpiece. It tells the story of Tess Durbeyfield, forced by her family's poverty to claim kinship with the wealthy d'Urbervilles. Violated by the son, Alec, her hopes of rebuilding her life with the gentle and bookish Angel Clare founder when he learns of her past. Sensitively read by Anna Bentinck.

Download the accompanying reference guide.Public Domain (P)2008 Naxos Audiobooks

Tragedy

This was the first Audible book that I've ever had trouble with skipping, so the previous reviews are correct. It does has some technical difficulties.

One more classic down. (this book was written in 1891).

Tess of the d'Urbervilles was quite modern and open minded in its day! It was well written and well narrated. However, I will never read it again. The pour heroine never catches a break and the story is incredibly depressing throughout.

A stirring tale.

this story was good from beginning to end. It was a story about love, youth and the mistakes of short-sightedness. You will truly love test as a person as much as you hate some other of the characters. This is one of the definite classic. A must-read.

Totally mesmerizing

I wish I could double my five stars. I loved this book. It has such intense emotions, twisting plot, beautiful portraits of country life 200 years ago (almost) and breath-taking sentences. What amazing writing, where one sentence carries you through several philosophical problems that seem to emerge from a simple country observation. And the reader is amazing, she does so many different accents. This is one of my very favorite books.

Emotionally exhausting

This is one of the most depressing books I have ever read!! I just don't know what to say. I enjoyed reading most of it. Hardy is a fabulous writer, but I hated the ending. I knew something crazy was coming, but it took me off guard, and knocked the wind out of me. Oh what a sad, depressing tale.

Now I started out saying I hated the ending, but thinking back on it, I realize that it was bittersweet. In fact there was a lot of sweetness in it. She finally got what she wanted and was extremely happy for a short time. But she just couldn't win. Some people just cannot sustain happiness, and of course, under the circumstances, happiness was not going to last for her.

This book wore me out. I felt exhausted when I finished it. It will be on my mind for days.

The narration by Anna Benlinck was top notch.

Beautiful language, excellent narration

Great story, beautifully narrated, and the writing is gorgeous. I had never even seen the movie, so the ending was an unpleasant shock. Oh well.