Book 1 : Tess Of The D'Urbervilles

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Well.  That was a...cheery way to start my reading for the year.

I am not a huge fan of Victorian literature but I couldn't resist picking up 'Tess' at my local thrift store.  It is a classic, after all, and I can see why.  I find the style of writing a little hard to get my head around sometimes, but there are beautiful descriptive passages throughout the novel that conjure fantastic images of endless countryside and spark the most powerful feelings of absolute love and agony.

Tess is, quite possibly, the most tragic creature I've ever read.  She is quite beautiful, or 'handsome' as she is referred to, works hard and is considerably bright for a woman of her stature.  She suffers, poor thing, suffers completely and relentlessly throughout the novel.  She is pursued by one she does not love, essentially abandoned by the one she does, lied to, manipulated and, eventually...well, I won't spoil the ending but it's miserable.  She goes through her short life believing herself to be at fault for all that goes wrong when really, she is the victim.  It had me sighing woefully, huffing with annoyance and raising my eyebrows in worry.  It's all just so terribly sad.

This novel frustrated me.  I wanted for everything to right itself and it didn't.  I wanted the characters to realise what they were doing and stop it, but they didn't.  I wanted poor Tess to find true happiness, one that she deserved even if she did not feel she did, but she didn't.  It is a novel which caught me unexpectedly, one I could not put down for several days until it was finished, and one I would recommend.  Prepare to be outraged, fall in love and sink into misery if you decide to tackle this one.  There's nothing quite like a novel which makes you -feel- and this one did, in abundance.

On that happy note -chuckles- I hope you are all preparing for a lovely, relaxed weekend full of things that will make you smile ^_^  Thank you for stopping by!

xoxo