continuing my thomas hardy reading (and re-reading) project

Not sure what prompted the change, but I've decided to sub Vilette by Charlotte Brontë with Hardy's The Trumpet-Major. I just felt in the mood for Hardy.

I have several serious things going on in my life, and Hardy allows me to sink into that melancholic place that allows for deep, reflective thought.

I mentioned my plan to read all of Hardy's works I was just in the mode or another re-read- clearly my favorite activity.

I will definitely read Vilette, but I was just ready for Hardy. I'm so glad that I started it.

He is so masterful with description. It's so wonderful to sink down into one of his novels.

Here's the book summary from Goodreads

Anne Garland, who lives with her widowed mother in a mill owned by Miller Loveday, has three suitors: the local squire's nephew Festus and the miller's two sons, Robert and John. While Festus' aggressive pursuit deters the young woman from considering him as a husband, the indecisive Anne wavers between light-hearted Bob and gentle, steadfast John.

 

But as their Wessex village prepares for possible invasion by Napoleon's fleet, all find their destinies increasingly tangled with the events of history. The Loveday brothers, one a sailor and one a soldier, must wrestle with their commitments to their country and their feelings for Anne. Lyrical and light-hearted, yet shot through with irony, The Trumpet-Major (1880) is one of Hardy's most unusual novels and a fascinating tale of love and desire.

My reading list of Hardy

I'm off this rainy Sunday to get a lot done, drink extra coffee, and have a personal reading day.

re-reading the days away

Nothing can make me feel excited about "romance" or "gossipy" reads like Thomas Hardy. 

Every time I want a lighter or just dysfunctional read, I reach for Thomas Hardy. I've been rereading Far From the Madding Crowd for the countless time.

I found myself DNFing book after book, and whenever that is the case, I have to pay attention to exactly what I am picking up.

I've toyed with ideas of returning to BookTube with a standard channel, and have revisited the reasons I left. They all hold up as true. I have decided to return (more later), but in a MUCH different way. 

As spring break approaches, I have a plethora of books on my currently reading schedule and I don't care about dates finished/ page counts, or any other such thing. It's all about reading books that transform and change me. Books that can be companions with cups of coffee

one of my favorites of all time

I find that the more heavy-hitting, great literature I read, the harder it is to return to lighter, contemporary works. 

It's a cold + sunny Sunday, and I am off for a slow treadmill walk while reading and planning what books will accompany me along my relaxing week's journey.

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