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xtnpdrz's review against another edition
4.0
Hardy shows us just how beautiful the English language can be. I've made a dozen (anachronistic) comparisons of his wordsmith to the late Pat Conroy. You don't exactly read a Hardy novel for an action packed plot, but understanding that makes enjoying the novel that much easier.
selefa's review against another edition
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
octavia_cade's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
4.0
This is less depressing than Tess of the D'Urbervilles, but that is hardly a high bar. This novel at least has a happy ending, which I suppose is something, but the misery quotient is still very high. Granted, this and Tess are the only two of Hardy's books I've ever read, but he doesn't seem like a barrel of laughs, frankly.
Which doesn't mean that this isn't both effective and affecting, because it is. I admit that it took me a while to get into, but by the end I was riveted. I think it's the characterisation that's the main appeal here: Bathsheba, especially, is both convincing and compelling, and I enjoyed her immensely. Gabriel Oak is likely more admirable, but less interesting. The one I'm stuck on, though, is Boldwood. I suspect in generations past he might have had a more sympathetic hearing from readers, and I am somewhat sympathetic... but only to a point. He's a tragic figure, yes, but he's also a creepy sort of obsessive who has no problem guilting Bathsheba into a relationship. There's a sort of weaponised patheticness there that reads very differently in the age of Me Too. He'd be unbearable to be around, the kind of nice guy you warn other girls about. I wonder, frankly, about Hardy's intentions with him, and how much of that off-putting behaviour was intentional. How much sympathy did Hardy expect us to have for him?
I think if I were Bathsheba, I'd be glad he escaped the gallows, and equally glad that he was locked up and far the fuck away from me.
Which doesn't mean that this isn't both effective and affecting, because it is. I admit that it took me a while to get into, but by the end I was riveted. I think it's the characterisation that's the main appeal here: Bathsheba, especially, is both convincing and compelling, and I enjoyed her immensely. Gabriel Oak is likely more admirable, but less interesting. The one I'm stuck on, though, is Boldwood. I suspect in generations past he might have had a more sympathetic hearing from readers, and I am somewhat sympathetic... but only to a point. He's a tragic figure, yes, but he's also a creepy sort of obsessive who has no problem guilting Bathsheba into a relationship. There's a sort of weaponised patheticness there that reads very differently in the age of Me Too. He'd be unbearable to be around, the kind of nice guy you warn other girls about. I wonder, frankly, about Hardy's intentions with him, and how much of that off-putting behaviour was intentional. How much sympathy did Hardy expect us to have for him?
I think if I were Bathsheba, I'd be glad he escaped the gallows, and equally glad that he was locked up and far the fuck away from me.
callienicole's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book with some friends, and I'd highly recommend reading it in a group, it made it so much more fun! In this book, Gabriel Oak finds himself falling for Bathsheba Everdeen, a really reckless and arrogant girl. Her recklessness plays out and matures her throughout the book, as she deals with three very different gentleman who are courting her.
There were so many times when I was reading this when I thought, "WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?" Somehow the author goes from completely messing up Bathsheba's life to putting it all back together again. I thought the character growth with Bathsheba and Gabriel in this book was really interesting. The writing was very insightful when it comes to human nature, and I highlighted many things, though sometimes the characters were so over-the-top I wondered if some of it was supposed to be satirical.
Overall, I enjoyed it, and I'm glad I read it!
There were so many times when I was reading this when I thought, "WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?" Somehow the author goes from completely messing up Bathsheba's life to putting it all back together again. I thought the character growth with Bathsheba and Gabriel in this book was really interesting. The writing was very insightful when it comes to human nature, and I highlighted many things, though sometimes the characters were so over-the-top I wondered if some of it was supposed to be satirical.
Overall, I enjoyed it, and I'm glad I read it!
renfri_23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
happylilkt's review against another edition
5.0
Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,
Their homely joys, and destiny obscure;
Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
The short and simple annals of the poor.
...Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire;
Hands, that the rod of empire might have sway'd,
Or wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre.
...Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flow'r is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
...Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,
Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray;
Along the cool sequester'd vale of life
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.
(Excerpts from Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray)
“When farmer Oak smiled, the corners of his mouth spread, till they were within an unimportant distance of his ears, his eyes were reduced to mere chinks, and diverging wrinkles appeared round them, extending upon his countenance like the rays in a rudimentary sketch of the rising sun.”
While I can't say I like Far From the Madding Crowd better than [b:The Return of the Native|32650|The Return of the Native|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403182613l/32650._SY75_.jpg|3140534], which is quite deliciously tragic, I can absolutely say that I like the introduction better. In the beginning, we are introduced to Farmer Oak: "[whose] special power, morally, physically, and mentally, was static." How appropriately named he is! The chapters that define the character and constancy of Gabriel Oak are some of my favorite passages of this novel and anyone who knows me knows that I love that beneath his simple manly exterior is a romantic appreciation for nature and beauty:
"Being a man not without a frequent consciousness that there was some charm in this life he led, he stood still after looking at the sky as a useful instrument, and regarded it in an appreciative spirit, as a work of art superlatively beautiful. For a moment he seemed impressed with the speaking loneliness of the scene, or rather with the complete abstraction from all its compass of the sights and sounds of man."
And yet, in spite of my love of Gabriel Oak, I do think ultimately this is Bathsheba Everdene's story. Bathsheba is young, spirited, and at times a little vain and proud, but she is so pretty and young, that's not a huge surprise, is it? Her independence is striking and seems to work in spite of the male-dominated nature of the work because of her intelligence, strong work ethic, her honesty and her kindness. But, no, she is not meek! “I shall be up before you are awake; I shall be afield before you are up; and I shall have breakfasted before you are afield. In short, I shall astonish you all.”and “I don’t see why a maid should take a husband when she’s bold enough to fight her own battles.” (and “Well, what I mean is that I shouldn’t mind being a bride at a wedding, if I could be one without having a husband.” haha! This is a great heroine!)
I will stop now as to avoid giving spoilers. I am absolutely looking forward to reading [b:Jude the Obscure|50798|Jude the Obscure|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389403264l/50798._SY75_.jpg|41342119] in April, even though I hear it's his saddest. Thomas Hardy is without a doubt now on my short list of favorite novelists.
Other Favorite Quotations
“We learn that it is not the rays which bodies absorb, but those which they reject, that give them the colours they are known by; and in the same way people are specialized by their dislikes and antagonisms, whilst their goodwill is looked upon as no attribute at all.”
“It appears that ordinary men take wives because possession is not possible without marriage, and that ordinary women accept husbands because marriage is not possible without possession.”
“It is difficult for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs.”
“She was of the stuff of which great men’s mothers are made. She was indispensable to high generation, feared at tea-parties, hated in shops, and loved at crises.”
Their homely joys, and destiny obscure;
Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
The short and simple annals of the poor.
...Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire;
Hands, that the rod of empire might have sway'd,
Or wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre.
...Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flow'r is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
...Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,
Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray;
Along the cool sequester'd vale of life
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.
(Excerpts from Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray)
“When farmer Oak smiled, the corners of his mouth spread, till they were within an unimportant distance of his ears, his eyes were reduced to mere chinks, and diverging wrinkles appeared round them, extending upon his countenance like the rays in a rudimentary sketch of the rising sun.”
While I can't say I like Far From the Madding Crowd better than [b:The Return of the Native|32650|The Return of the Native|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403182613l/32650._SY75_.jpg|3140534], which is quite deliciously tragic, I can absolutely say that I like the introduction better. In the beginning, we are introduced to Farmer Oak: "[whose] special power, morally, physically, and mentally, was static." How appropriately named he is! The chapters that define the character and constancy of Gabriel Oak are some of my favorite passages of this novel and anyone who knows me knows that I love that beneath his simple manly exterior is a romantic appreciation for nature and beauty:
"Being a man not without a frequent consciousness that there was some charm in this life he led, he stood still after looking at the sky as a useful instrument, and regarded it in an appreciative spirit, as a work of art superlatively beautiful. For a moment he seemed impressed with the speaking loneliness of the scene, or rather with the complete abstraction from all its compass of the sights and sounds of man."
And yet, in spite of my love of Gabriel Oak, I do think ultimately this is Bathsheba Everdene's story. Bathsheba is young, spirited, and at times a little vain and proud, but she is so pretty and young, that's not a huge surprise, is it? Her independence is striking and seems to work in spite of the male-dominated nature of the work because of her intelligence, strong work ethic, her honesty and her kindness. But, no, she is not meek! “I shall be up before you are awake; I shall be afield before you are up; and I shall have breakfasted before you are afield. In short, I shall astonish you all.”and “I don’t see why a maid should take a husband when she’s bold enough to fight her own battles.” (and “Well, what I mean is that I shouldn’t mind being a bride at a wedding, if I could be one without having a husband.” haha! This is a great heroine!)
I will stop now as to avoid giving spoilers. I am absolutely looking forward to reading [b:Jude the Obscure|50798|Jude the Obscure|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389403264l/50798._SY75_.jpg|41342119] in April, even though I hear it's his saddest. Thomas Hardy is without a doubt now on my short list of favorite novelists.
Other Favorite Quotations
“We learn that it is not the rays which bodies absorb, but those which they reject, that give them the colours they are known by; and in the same way people are specialized by their dislikes and antagonisms, whilst their goodwill is looked upon as no attribute at all.”
“It appears that ordinary men take wives because possession is not possible without marriage, and that ordinary women accept husbands because marriage is not possible without possession.”
“It is difficult for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs.”
“She was of the stuff of which great men’s mothers are made. She was indispensable to high generation, feared at tea-parties, hated in shops, and loved at crises.”
libraryofdreaming's review
3.0
It pains me to say it, but I enjoyed the 2015 movie adaption more than I enjoyed Thomas Hardy's book. The book had its merits: some great lines, more character depth, and plot building, but what can I say? I really fell in love with the 2015 version's wonderful actors and their great chemistry. I'm not sure if it was just my mood but I didn't enjoy Thomas Hardy's voice as much in this book. I sensed a layer of misogyny in his description of Bathsheba that just unsettled me. In the end, he treats her well and doesn't completely punish her for her actions, but I still felt a bit oppressed by his lectures about her vanity and foolishness in regards to her romantic escapades. I know it could be argued that Thomas Hardy treats women better than many of his contemporaries (Tess of the d'Ubervilles was really sympathetic), but I guess I just wasn't in the mood for even the slightest bit of male preaching when I read this.
A part of me wishes I could have erased my memory of the movie so I could have been shocked by the great twists all over again. Unfortunately though, they seemed a teeny bit anticlimactic in the book compared to the movie. I thought it was pretty odd that Thomas Hardy tells the reader straight out that, when in the movie the audience is nicely gobsmacked at .
One thing that I thought was much, much better in the book was the sword fighting scene. It actually made sense and, although weird, was much more understandable than the movie version. Most of the characters motivations match up completely in both versions, but I must say any sympathy I felt at Tom Sturridge's portrayal of Troy was completely erased when reading the book. His character in the movie was sympathetic in his interactions with Fanny, but in the book he was just a complete jerk with no redeeming qualities. Sidenote: I feel like it was someone (but alas my memory fails me) who said that the scene of Fanny Robin dragging herself along the fence while giving birth was super disturbing and gruesome. I braced myself for a traumatizing scene but I really didn't see it that way. In fact, Thomas Hardy doesn't even state that she's giving birth, she is just physically and emotionally exhausted. I didn't see it that way at all.
Although I do wonder (ever so slightly) what the book would have been like if it had been written by Charles Dickens or Elizabeth Gaskell, I will say that Thomas Hardy's flair for landscape description is unmatched. His obvious love for the English countryside shines through the text in a really great way.
Overall, I am on the side of the movie in this case. Perhaps if I had read the book before the movie I would have fallen in love with the book first, but as it is I am too much a fan of the movie to be completely swayed by Thomas Hardy's undeniable prose...
A part of me wishes I could have erased my memory of the movie so I could have been shocked by the great twists all over again. Unfortunately though, they seemed a teeny bit anticlimactic in the book compared to the movie. I thought it was pretty odd that Thomas Hardy tells the reader straight out that
Spoiler
Troy is aliveSpoiler
his reappearanceOne thing that I thought was much, much better in the book was the sword fighting scene. It actually made sense and, although weird, was much more understandable than the movie version. Most of the characters motivations match up completely in both versions, but I must say any sympathy I felt at Tom Sturridge's portrayal of Troy was completely erased when reading the book. His character in the movie was sympathetic in his interactions with Fanny, but in the book he was just a complete jerk with no redeeming qualities. Sidenote: I feel like it was someone (but alas my memory fails me) who said that the scene of Fanny Robin dragging herself along the fence while giving birth was super disturbing and gruesome. I braced myself for a traumatizing scene but I really didn't see it that way. In fact, Thomas Hardy doesn't even state that she's giving birth, she is just physically and emotionally exhausted. I didn't see it that way at all.
Although I do wonder (ever so slightly) what the book would have been like if it had been written by Charles Dickens or Elizabeth Gaskell, I will say that Thomas Hardy's flair for landscape description is unmatched. His obvious love for the English countryside shines through the text in a really great way.
Overall, I am on the side of the movie in this case. Perhaps if I had read the book before the movie I would have fallen in love with the book first, but as it is I am too much a fan of the movie to be completely swayed by Thomas Hardy's undeniable prose...
sch77's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
andrewritchie's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lmorgen's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent read, Far from the Madding Crowd's best attribute by far is Bathsheba Everdene. She's a strong, intelligent female character, who doesn't exactly know what she wants, but doesn't let that stop her. She's coquettish, hilarious, headstrong, and brave. The one thing I disliked about Far from the Madding Crowd was some of the degrading remarks about women. However, these remarks were typical of the time, but still are still not pleasant to read. Great book, I will definitely be reading it over and over again!