Oh my dear, dear Tess. This is such a heartbreaking story. You'd think that love would conquer all, but Hardy is realistic about what exactly would happen in these times. Perhaps this period in history needed these truths told. Tess is a very relatable character; although her complicated and unfair plight seems gender-specific, I can see any life affected by injustice, or having to live with events of your youth whether you chose them or not, being able to relate to hers. Apart from being a grim read, the plot is excellent. It is suspenseful and compelling with Tess's moral dilemma and everyone's perceptions of her. And that ending!

His writing style is of the times: challenging yet enjoyable with plenty of symbolism and obvious mentions of scientific and agricultural advances. I also enjoyed Hardy's bent towards paganism (he depicts Tess as having a certain oneness with Nature rather than with spirituality or society) and the differing and more naturalist/humanist view he presents against religion, although there are some biblical allusions.

I took a Victorian lit class in college but we didn't read Hardy! I look forward to reading Jude the Obscure in the near future.

I realize why some people find Hardy too slow or too grim, but I loved his writing immediately. I was on a bit of a Romantics kick when I read this, and the character of Angel Clare in "Tess" is almost surely based on Percy Shelley.

Re-reading Tess and just repeating the refrain "oh, Tess..." over and over.

My first Hardy and I am in awe. I can't stop thinking about this book.

Didn't finish this one! Didn't like it.

well written, just made me sad.

Heartwrenching story. Beautifully written.

I just really want to punch every single male character in the face.

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book, and I could have given it 1 star for the oppressive, male world Tess' story resides in, but I don't think that's a flaw in Hardy's novel. Because it was published in the Victorian era, the struggles Tess faced both externally and internally (i.e. blaming herself for being raped, Angel Clare's lack of forgiveness for a "sin" he also committed) are an excellent critique of the high standards the Victorian Era forced on women. Is Tess a feminist heroine? I'm not sure, but she does have her moments. She is not the typical heroine, but I liked her for that, and I also loved that it was not a happily ever after in the traditional sense.

Overall, Hardy made an excellent societal critique, among other themes (nature/industrialization), without being too obvious about it. Tess is a wonderful, interesting character and I enjoyed watching her change throughout the novel as she tried to overcome hardship after hardship. No one catches a break in this book, so I can imagine someone looking for a more modern feminist narrative and/or that happy ending would not find this novel as enjoyable as I did.