I remember the first time I ever heard my dad mention this book. He said it was awful because of the way poor Tess was treated. Horrible things kept happening to her, which made this book depressing to read. Boy was he right. Despite the way that I did enjoy the book, it was truly heartbreaking. Even though I went into this expecting to be depressed, the story still broke my heart. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs (which was not advisable since I listened to the audiobook on the bus). But that just goes to show how well written this frustrating tale of suffering and double standards is. 
(On that note, I really wish Angel had suffered much, MUCH more).