Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy- A Glowing Review

It's very apt that this was my first fiction novel that I finished in 2023. I adore Thomas Hardy and honestly, his work had moved my heart and helped me to understand the constraints upon women in the Victorian era more than any other author.

Here's my succinct review of this unforgettable novel.

Book summary

When Tess Durbeyfield is driven by family poverty to claim kinship with the wealthy D'Urbervilles and seek a portion of their family fortune, meeting her 'cousin' Alec proves to be her downfall. A very different man, Angel Clare, seems to offer her love and salvation, but Tess must choose whether to reveal her past or remain silent in the hope of a peaceful future. With its sensitive depiction of the wronged Tess and powerful criticism of social convention, Tess of the D'Urbervilles is one of the most moving and poetic of Hardy's novels.

My review & thoughts...

No one writes like Hardy. 

This "ahead of his time" feminist, did due justice to helping us understand the impossibility of being a virtuous woman during Victorian times. Hardy story of Tess will break your heart, and immediately make you empathetic of any young woman of less than great means during that era.

What I love about the story, and what I love about Thomas Hardy, is, he doesn't stray away from the realities of the time. Unlike some of his contemporaries, Hardy spends a great deal of time walking you through the daily life of a young woman who has a pure heart, and pure love for her family, yet the constraints of the time that were literally forced upon her, make it completely impossible for her to ever have peace in her life.

Thomas Hardy is infinitely re-readable, and this is my second reread of this novel, but it will not be my last. If you have been sleeping on Thomas Hardy, or if you have been afraid of picking up Victorian literature, because you believe it will be bland, look no further. Thomas Hardy offers up a tragically. 

This unique story that will stay with you for a lifetime