February Buddy Read - Far From the Madding Crowd

[superawesomekt]

Kate and I will be starting Far From the Madding Crowd in February. You are welcome to join us or if you've read it before, join in on the conversation (mark spoilers, please!). If you are joining us, please comment and say hello!

[Alexandra]

I would like to do this one ♡ I started reading about the general plot on Wikipedia, and gotten excited!♡

[superawesomekt]

awesome! so glad you're joining us, Alexandra! I'm excited about this one, too :)

[Rokkan]

I'll try to join this one if I can get access to my copy...

[Jamie]

I ought to join this one. I've had a copy of this one for years. My current one is in a 5 novel omnibus edition I got 2 years ago, and that one replaced a shabbier paperback I'd had for probably over a decade. :)

[Rachael]

I've had this book for nearly six years so this is definitely motivation for me to finally get it off my TBR mountain. I will join you for this buddy read :)

[superawesomekt]

glad to have both of you join us! it will feel so good to finish this read!

[superawesomekt]

(Rokkan, hopefully you will get access to your copy! fingers crossed!)

[superawesomekt]

February is just around the corner! Excited to start reading this with you all.

[superawesomekt]

I'm in the same boat! I'm going to be able to start it this coming weekend. Looking forward to this buddy read!

[Alexandra]

I just started yesterday, and reading very slowly.....
Waiting for everyone to join in♡

[superawesomekt]

I finally finished Dracula today, so I'm starting this tonight! So excited!

[superawesomekt]

I only meant to read a chapter or two but just finished chapter 7. Hardy's prose is exquisite, especially describing the stars out in the hill... and I love Farmer Oaks already!

[superawesomekt]

Kate wrote: "I really tried liking Hardy however, he and I just don’t get along. After several days of reading, I am marking this DNF."

It's so liberating to call it quits! Hope your next read is more enjoyable!

[Alexandra]

I just finished chapter 13, and could see that Bathsheba is truly very young and playful!

[Alexandra]

Kate wrote: "I really tried liking Hardy however, he and I just don’t get along. After several days of reading, I am marking this DNF."
Sorry to see you go......
Enjoy your next book! ♡

[superawesomekt]

Alexandra,

I'm not quite there yet, but she reminds me of another Hardy character I read in a little story, Under the Greenwood Tree, called Fancy. She's a little vain, but still sweet. I'm looking forward to getting more reading done today or tomorrow!

[superawesomekt]

Hey Rachel, Jamie, and Rokkan! Have any of you been able to join? I feel like February is speeding by so quickly... I have a long weekend this weekend so I'm hoping to get quite a bit of reading done—not sure if I'll catch up with you, Alexandra... what chapter are you on?

[Alexandra]

@superawesomekt Hello!
Ooh! I have not heard of Under the Greenwood Tree at all! I might check it out at some point in the future :D

I'm only at chapter 33... Are you nearby?

[Alexandra]

I finally finished the book after reading it for 2 weeks :)

It's been a journey!
I can see a couple of examples on toxic masculinity, and felt really upset that we can still see display of such disregard towards women/girls 1xx years since the publication of this book.
I am glad Hardy also showed the exercise of manliness in showing respect towards women by some of the characters, and the strength of being a woman.

There are a few topics I find highly modern, especially the gender roles portrayal in the book.

A remarkable book.

[superawesomekt]

Alexandra wrote: "I finally finished the book after reading it for 2 weeks :) ..."

Congratulations, Alexandra! We had a snowstorm and a 40+ hour power outage over the weekend here in Portland, Oregon, and I didn't get much reading done (I have 3 young kids and it was a circus keeping everyone warm and fed!)

I'm looking forward to diving into this more this week.

I am always so interested with the gender dynamics in Hardy's novels, so I appreciate your insights and look forward to more discussion soon.

As far as I'm concerned, 2 weeks is fast for a classic! Looking forward to catching up to you soon!

[Alexandra]

@superawesomekt Oh dear! Sounds pretty stressful! Hugs! Stay warm!

[Rachael]

Hello. I will be starting this today.

[superawesomekt]

Rachael, that's great! Let me know how it goes!

Alexandra, thank you! We are actually pretty lucky—some of our friends here still have their power out (since a week ago Friday night!) What are you reading now that you have finished this one?

[Alexandra]

@Rachael Welcome onboard! :) Happy reading!

@superawesomekt I just finished The White Devil's Daughters: The Women Who Fought Slavery in San Francisco's Chinatown by Julia Flynn Siler, with a box of Kleenex. I'm now reading In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park. :)

[superawesomekt]

@Alexandra those books all sound so interesting!

I'm finally picking up speed on this one...

I am always so impressed with Hardy's characters. I really love Gabriel Oak and I am appreciating Bathsheba Everdeen more and more. I also liked hearing what was in Gabriel Oak's precious library :) I'm actually planning on reading Robinson Crusoe this year, so it was fun to see that on the list.

(view spoiler)[The Valentine plot element was really interesting... it's still unfolding but I'm definitely getting "off" vibes from Farmer Boldwood... (hide spoiler)]

[superawesomekt]

ahhhhh I definitely got to some of the thicker plot elements last night and had a hard time putting the book down. (i.e. I didn't until past 1am) I'm now at chapter 48. Right after I posted yesterday (view spoiler)[ Sargeant Troy entered the plot and now I feel bad for having had dark inklings about Boldwood, but of course he doesn't have the steadiness of Oak. Troy very much reminds me of Count Vronsky, though less honorable. Hardy is so good at showing the sad plight of women. ugh. The contrast/symbolism of their names is interesting... (hide spoiler)]

[Alexandra]

superawesomekt wrote: "@Alexandra those books all sound so interesting!

I'm finally picking up speed on this one...

I am always so impressed with Hardy's characters. I really love Gabriel Oak and I am appreciating Bat..."

@superawesomekt Hope you can finish this one this month :D
Bathsheba does grow on people, I must admit! She has her girlish side, she also has her mature side.

Gabriel Oak is a mature and stable character. I like how he too exercises his senses when facing challenges and gossips.

Oh! If I can manage my reading list, I will try to join you with Robinson Crusoe :) I heard it is a brilliant tale on purpose. I look forward to it.

[superawesomekt]

I would love to read Robinson Crusoe with you!

I feel like my delay on Dracula last month really got me behind, but I have lots of momentum with this one now, so I would be surprised if I don't finish it today :) my classics book club has reading Jude the Obscure in April and I'm already excited to read more Hardy!

[superawesomekt]

well, Alexandra, you'll be shocked and surprised but I finished it before March haha :)

There is so much to think about Bathsheba's experiences and character development: it really is her story, isn't it?

(view spoiler)[it's a little sad to see how she loses some of her spirit and vivacity but I feel like there is hope that she will regain some of it! (hide spoiler)]

[Alexandra]

superawesomekt wrote: "well, Alexandra, you'll be shocked and surprised but I finished it before March haha :)

There is so much to think about Bathsheba's experiences and character development: it really is her story, ..."

Congratulationssssss!!!
Looking forward to March already!

[Rachael]

Finished :)
As much drama as a modern day soap opera, this is a snapshot of country life in a fictional English county. I quite liked Gabriel Oak but I wish Bathsheba Everdene was better at not stringing people along. I was expecting the writing to be a lot denser but even though parts were a bit too detailed with slow pacing, for my first Thomas Hardy this was not too bad at all.

[superawesomekt]

Congratulations, Rachael! I'm glad the language / pacing wasn't too bad for you.

I felt similarly about Bathsheba but I suspect that as a teenager I might have related to her a bit more ;) as for soap opera, it seems like that is what Thomas Hardy revels in!

[Alexandra]

@Rachael
Yay!!!! *clapclap* Congratulations!!! Are you reading anything exciting these days?