Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (Group Classic Aug/Sept 2015)

[Free]

Been reading since the first, it's going very slow for me. I like the book but it is a little hard to read. I started listening to it which is helping. I think this book one of the first books in a long time I haven't breezed by. Cheers to challenges.

[Leslie]

Reina wrote: "Been reading since the first, it's going very slow for me. I like the book but it is a little hard to read. I started listening to it which is helping. I think this book one of the first books in a..."

Where are you now in the story? I'm glad that you like the book despite it being slow going -- I find sometimes when I struggle with the writing it is hard to enjoy the plot.

[Leslie]

I am almost done (95% through). I have a question for those of you who are done:

In Chapter 49, Hardy describes Boldwood as (view spoiler)[a man "whose unreasoning devotion to Bathsheba could only be characterized as a fond madness". While some aspects of Boldwood's feelings come across as obsessive, his devotion doesn't seem to me to be less than that of Gabriel Oak. Why is it crazy in Boldwood but OK in Oak?? Or is Boldwood's feeling for Bathsheba just one aspect of a wider madness? Do you think he would have gone crazy if Bathsheba had never sent him that valentine? (hide spoiler)]

[Pink]

Leslie wrote: "I am almost done (95% through). I have a question for those of you who are done:

In Chapter 49, Hardy describes Boldwood as [spoilers removed]"

You're doing better than me, I'm only at 40% still.

[Leslie]

Pink wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I am almost done (95% through). I have a question for those of you who are done:

In Chapter 49, Hardy describes Boldwood as [spoilers removed]"

You're doing better than me, I'm on..."

Bet you are ahead with Suite Francaise! Seriously though, I had a lot of good listening time in the last few days.

[Pink]

Are you enjoying it? I'm finding that I'm intrigued by the story, though there have been some eye roll moments, but I'm not a huge fan of the writing.

[Leslie]

Pink wrote: "Are you enjoying it? I'm finding that I'm intrigued by the story, though there have been some eye roll moments, but I'm not a huge fan of the writing."

I finished last night -- I did like it but not as much as I had remembered. As I mention in my review, what had remained in my memory was the plot & characters (which I like very much) and not the writing (which I don't really care for). Hardy won't join the ranks of Victorian authors I love to read (such as Dickens & Thackeray) but I am glad that I decided to revisit this classic.

[Free]

Leslie wrote: "Reina wrote: "Been reading since the first, it's going very slow for me. I like the book but it is a little hard to read. I started listening to it which is helping. I think this book one of the fi..."

Actually do like the story and characters a lot just the writing and plot is hard but I am looking for other was to cope.

[Free]

Actually started listening to it. And found that to be much more enjoyable plus I knock two things out at once chores and books.

[B the BookAddict]

David wrote: "I am half way through now and I am confused about the comments about Bathsheba. My immediate thought is that the problem is that Hardy is trying to tell us what is in a woman's head. The presenta...

I think that Jane Austin or George Eliot would have written a much more love able and understandable Bathsheba."

I don't know< David, Hardy did give us Tess in Tess of the D'Ubervilles and I don't think she was particularly lieable either. Hardy is such an accomplished writer that if he writes a unlikable character, then that's the way he wants the character to be read. I've always liked Hardy for this.

[David]

Well actually, part of my point was that I didn't dislike Bathsheba. I have always felt that she made the mistakes we all made when we were very young but was a sympathetic character in spite of that.

In any case, I have finished the book and was amazed at the speed with which Hardy managed to get where he wanted to go all along in the final few pages.

In High School, I was forced to read all of the old Masters of English Lit: Dickens, Eliot, and the rest. But it was all wasted on me: I was too young to appreciate any of it. But now I read these authors with utter amazement. There were things that I disliked about this book but they were vastly outnumbered by the things I did like. I give this book a solid five stars.

[Leslie]

David wrote: "There were things that I disliked about this book but they were vastly outnumbered by the things I did like. ..."

Well put! That is how I feel but for me that translated to a 4 star rating. I am pretty stingy with my 5 stars :P

[David]

I love that! I am stingy with 5 star reviews as well, but with the classics I do not feel that I necessarily have to totally love every word or thought presented: after all, these books come to us like a message in a bottle from some long gone and alien society, yet filled with universal treasures. The dross is long forgotten, but the gems have lasted.

[Leslie]

A bit off topic but everytime my audiobook mentioned Fanny, I mentally thought "Fanny Price" so I am now rereading Mansfield Park!

[Pink]

Leslie, Mansfield Park is on my list for next month. I think I'll just start looking at your tbr each month instead of making my own!

I'm about 75% through Far from the Madding Crowd and despite my issues with it, I'm really getting into the story. It's definitely building in momentum during the second half.

[Free]

I had to take a break from all reading which includes listening to books because I have to study and prepare for a last minute presentation. I'm very sad since I was really starting to get into the story plus between work and home during the week I don't have a lot of time to read. Very sad right now. I miss reading and it's only been a few days thankfully it will be over Tuesday.

[Pink]

Reina wrote: "I had to take a break from all reading which includes listening to books because I have to study and prepare for a last minute presentation. I'm very sad since I was really starting to get into th..."

Good luck with your presentation. It will be a nice reward to return to reading after the weekend :)

[Leslie]

Reina wrote: "I had to take a break from all reading which includes listening to books because I have to study and prepare for a last minute presentation. I'm very sad since I was really starting to get into th..."

I know how frustrating it can be when the real world prevents reading! Good luck with your presentation & let us know how it goes.

[Leslie]

Pink wrote: "Leslie, Mansfield Park is on my list for next month. I think I'll just start looking at your tbr each month instead of making my own!
..."

LOL!! I often think that about your monthly TBR list - we are clearly in sync right now :)

[Pink]

I finished reading this evening. It was quite a long slog for me in the end and my opinion didn't change much from the beginning. I wasn't a fan of the writing or particularly the contrived plot, though I was interested in the story (even though the ending was pretty obvious). I definitely want to read more Hardy in the future and think this was probably a good place to start.

[Free]

About 70% done. Just wondering what exactly was the time between Troy and Bathsheba's marriage and Fanny dying?

[Pink]

I think it's a several months (view spoiler)[ Fanny dies in childbirth, or shortly after having Troy's baby and she wasn't apparently pregnant at the time they were supposed to be married, when she goes to the wrong church. Troy then meets and marries Bathsheba before months later encountering Fanny again on the roadside. I don't think there was any overlap between Fanny and Bathsheba (hide spoiler)]

[Leslie]

I think Pink is right about the timeline - it certainly is more than one month and less than 6 in my opinion.

[LauraT]

I think so too!

[Joy]

Just re-read this book - first time was about 40 years ago!
I agreed with David's comment about Bathsheba making the sort of mistakes that we all make when young. After all sending a valentine to Boldwood was just a piece of whimsy on her part and she really had no reason to suspect it would be taken so seriously.
I also concur with Leslie's comments about Hardy's writing style - he does sometimes become very long-winded and full of his own self-importance. On the other hand, at his best, there are some wonderful lyrical passages and I also feel he captures the rhythms of speech very well, especially among the minor characters.
I thought the pace really picked up in the last part of the book and I found myself not wanting to put it down.

[Free]

So I finished the book and decided to watch the new movie. I felt like the made Gabriel Oak way more attractive than the book. Sgt. Troy was not as handsome as I would have thought. I love the actress that portrayed Bathsheba. And Mr. Bolwood was right on the money.

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I think Hardy's writing brings out how a person's life may be affected by chance encounters and little things that don't seem significant at the time:

Bathsheba sending an ironic valentine to Boldwood, who all but ignored her in church and at the market.
And Bathsheba bumping into Troy at night when checking her property.

Or, how sometimes it is so easy to fall madly in love with someone you barely know:

Boldwood is shocked and intriqued by the valentine (does not see the joke in it at all!) and after he finds out who sent it, he becomes totally obsessed with Bathsheba.
Bathsheba looks into Troy's eyes and for no reason, other than he is really good looking and compliments her, falls completely in love with him, after all the wooing by Boldwood (which I found desperate and creepy)and after Gabriel has been so honest with his feelings for her and constant and supportive for ages...