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missbryden's review against another edition
5.0
I may not have enjoyed it as much if it weren't for the narration of this particular audio. I was thoroughly drawn in by the variety of voices he did and the humor he injected, and rhythm, not just when characters were speaking. Sweet and funny story. The economical backgrounds and discussion of and feelings on changes in church music are interesting. But it's not just the audio, Hardy, at least in this book (it didn't stand out so much to me in Tess of the D'Urbervilles, although I read that a long time ago, or Far From the Madding Crowd - maybe a little bit in that - those were quite different stories) uses such lively language and different sort of characterful phrases.
eclecticlittleadventures's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-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
3.5
soniapage's review against another edition
2.0
Not much of a story here and the set-up in the first few chapters is Hardy at his slowest and most tedious. Better to watch the BBC production, which is fun.
zurpel's review against another edition
3.0
I was really looking forward to reading this book, because it sounded like a sweet little piece of literature to read in-between the more heavy works I had scheduled for this season. In the end it turned out to fulfil my expectations, but I did have a few problems getting into the book. I first tried to read it but soon realized that this is one of the books where I’m better off listening to the audiobook (another reason why I love public domain book: most are available as free audiobook on LibriVox, so no need to actually buy two editions of the same book). Once I changed formats on the book I began to enjoy it. Dick Dewey’s story of falling in love with Fancy Day and how their relationship developed is really sweet to listen to.
The LibriVox audiobook is narrated by Rachel Lintern. I wasn’t too impressed by her narration in the beginning and have certainly listened to better voices on LibriVox, but she doesn’t do a bad job, either.
The LibriVox audiobook is narrated by Rachel Lintern. I wasn’t too impressed by her narration in the beginning and have certainly listened to better voices on LibriVox, but she doesn’t do a bad job, either.
joannaautumn's review
4.0
“To dwellers in a wood, almost every species of tree has its voice as well as its feature.”
The first novel in Thomas Hardy's Wessex tales introduces the reader with a meeker version of Hardy's usual writing, the reasoning being:
A) Hardy considered himself a poet foremost, and tried getting his poems to press and publication but was met with failure. He expressed himself in prose mainly because it would be more socially acceptable and sell better. The novel form was on the rise at the time, foreshadowing the contemporary popularity of the form.
B) His first prose work, Desperate Remedies, did not do well and his last hope was instilled in Under the greenwood tree. A novel where he first expressed the thoughts, themes, and ideas for which he would later be known.
The novel, originally titled The Mellstock Quire, on a wider scale follows a rural environment on the verge of change, one that hints towards modernity and industrialization, alongside the personal love story of Dick Dewy and Fancy Day.
The opening chapter presents a set of characters singing in a village choir on Christmas day, participating in a tradition. Hardy puts a lot of emphasis on the importance of the tradition(in this case the choir)in binding people together, opposed to the coldness of the orchestral play lead by Fancy.
It would be all too simple to label Fancy as the villain who brings chaos to the idyll, being as she didn’t even want to be an organist but was prepositioned by the new vicar, Mr. Maybold(who also develops a romantic interest in her).
By positioning the member of the rural community as the one welcoming change, and the rest of them reluctantly accepting, Hardy doesn’t let the reader antagonize Fancy.
Nothing is idealized in this novel, just being a bit more observant while reading proves this.
The villagers passively accept the change, forever changing their future, Fancy and Dick enter a marriage with a secret(on her part) deconstructing the idea of a "perfect rural love story" that is shown at surface read and all of the characters are ruled by fate, over which the wo/men have no control.
"If we be doomed to marry, we marry; if we be doomed to remain single we do.”
All of these themes and motifs Hardy reused for his famous Far from the Madding crowd: the power of fate, the options of human choice, the perfection of nature, multiple men fighting over one woman, etc.
The key difference is in the tone, while FFTMC has a prevailing tone of pessimism, Under the greenwood tree has a lighter tone, although they both end in a similar skeptic way: in a marriage shown as a social transaction.
Nonetheless, this novel provides with everything it promised and is an enjoyable read for both a casual and critical reader of Hardy's work.
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I know it's exam season when I have zero time to actually read anything but still manage to squeeze something(Hardy) in. Review to come, 4/5.
cimorene1558's review
2.0
I started this because I've been seeing and listening to a lot of things that are inspired by it, but I'm not deeply enthused. I finished it, but only so I can say I've read a whole book by Thomas Hardy. It's a nice book, but nothing is at all compelling about it, and if you already know what it's about (and I did, very thoroughly), there's not much to say for reading it.
colorfulleo92's review
3.0
This feels like a very different kind of story coming from Thomas Hardy much more.. Cheerful. It was an decent read but not my favorite of his work, which might not sounds so good. I much prefer his more tragic story's I know him more for. But an okay read nevertheless
kiri_johnston's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Probably my second-to-least favourite Hardy. The pastoral vibes are immaculate but the plot was thin, and the fact I didn't care about any characters didn't help. Seemed like an overlong anecdote rather than a story, though Hardy was still new to novel-writing so I can't blame him for how this turned out.