A Thomas Hardy novel with the ending of a Jane Austen novel. I'm impressed by Hardy's respect for nature (which comes through in all his novels) without being overly Romantic or melodramatic. Instead, the natural world is a fact of existence operating on a higher plane than the small world of humans. The symmetrical plot lent a satisfying sense of predictability without being too predictable; the ending could be guessed at but the journey was full of surprises. An enjoyable read that was at times a bit long winded or awkward in prose but forgivable due to the easy attachment I made with the characters of Bathsheba and Gabriel Oak.