Title: Far from the Madding Crowd
Author: Thomas Hardy
Published: 1874
Genre: Classic Fiction
Grade Level: Adult
-Movie Rating: PG- 13
Blurb (from goodreads):
Far from the Madding Crowd was Thomas Hardy's
first major literary success.
Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has
come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate
in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the
gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy, and the devoted
shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and
complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the
whole community. The first of his works set in the fictional county of Wessex,
Hardy's novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative
descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about
sexual relationships.
My Scores:
Writing Style: Flowery
I am not a fan of this writing style, it fell
really flat for me, especially after reading the raw, candid, and intimately personal
style of Jane Eyre.
I would recommend reading the introduction to this novel (if
you have this version) because it really helped me understand what the author
was trying to do. It seemed like there was a lot of focus given to
the setting, which is meant to give symbolism but only serves to drag down the
plot.
Characters: Underdeveloped
Even though I became attached to these
characters, I wouldn’t exactly say they’re crafted well. Specifically speaking
of Bathsheba and Sergeant Troy, they just don’t seem realistic at times. While
I don’t think characters need to be completely rational all the time, I do
think their motivations need to be clear. Interestingly enough the odd decisions of those two drove most of the storyline.
At the same time, other characters, like Gabriel Oak and Liddy, feel one-dimensional. I like them, regardless, but I can’t score them any higher.
Plot:
Slow Burn
The first half of the book feels really slow
because of all the setting descriptions. It’s during the second half of the book that everything snowballs and suddenly becomes a great roller-coaster until the
end.
Overall:
Enjoyable
Know going in that it’s a slow-burn type of
novel. The second half is where things get crazy and well worth the patience of
getting through the first half. Don’t over-analyze the characters or you’ll
just be spinning your wheels; just go with the flow. So, overall, I enjoyed the
piece, although I don’t think I’ll ever read it again for pleasures sake.
Goodreads Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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