I’m probably the weirdest person ever, but I read this in school and I LOVED IT. Literally my favourite book ever!!! The characters, although very annoying, were incredibly intriguing and truly made me have to think.

Not an uplifting book, but one that is true to life.

The main character has unpleasant things happen to her and now has to deal with the consequences of someone else's choice for the rest of her life.

This is a classic that teaches and entertains at the same time. There are some fun light-hearted chapters as well as the darker and sadder ones, but overall it showcases determination and survival. 

I have been daunted by Thomas Hardy's novels for as long as I can remember. Powerful works of Victorian literature that I knew to be incredibly sad, tragic and emotional seemed beyond me. However - as I grow older I am increasingly drawn to similar styles of literature, so I decided to give Tess of the D'Urbervilles a chance.

I am so glad that I did.

I switched between reading my hard copy and listening to the audiobook narrated by Anne Marie Duff (it was an exquisite narration), which was a fully absorbing reading experience. The audiobook leading me to appreciate the more lyrical, agricultural passages that I would have subconsciously skimmed over reading it myself.

The naivety, courage, resilience and vulnerability of Tess as she repeatedly faced injustice was extremely moving to read in Hardy's emotional and lyrical prose. A 'pure woman' wronged by the men in her life, from the predatory Alec D'Urberville, her hopeless father and the principled Angel Clare - as shown in the famous quote:

'Why didn't you tell me there was danger in men-folk? Why didn't you warn me?'

As well as the wonderful emotional journey of the novel - Hardy also uses the novel to criticise the Victorian sexual hypocrisy through frequent allusions to the Adam & Eve. I also enjoyed the way in which Hardy criticised pedigree, status and social class through the Durbeyfield/D'Urberville storyline.

Hardy also writes an ode to the English countryside as the ruthlessness of modern agriculture directly impacts the synchrony of nature and society with the threat of modern machinery to their ways of life. Many of the descriptions and situations of the novel focus on the way that the characters and society are being separated from a more ancient lifestyle, “the ache of modernity” that Hardy felt as a loss of innocence.

There is so much more I could say about this beautiful novel but I have run out of space. I loved it

 I was very surprised to find a few tears in my eyes through some parts of this book. Tess is such a complicated character she seems to take on the victim role but I don't actually find her weak. I thought she was very strong and resilient.