Staff Pick
A masterpiece of Victorian tragedy, Jude is tortured, miserable, and doomed. But this beautiful novel is profoundly moving. The story is poignant and heart-wrenching, and the language is utterly gorgeous. Thomas Hardy is a peerless genius. Truly, absolutely, the best book I have ever read — you will cry! Recommended By Dianah H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
There's a tale that goes around even now regarding Thomas Hardy -- that is, that the reaction of readers to one of his novels was so intense -- and so disturbing -- that he swore off novels and spent the rest of his life committing poetry. Well, the story is true, the way it happens, and this is the book responsible: Jude the Obscure. This is the book that created thunderstorms of antipathy so intense that Hardy just didn't want to face it again, ever. Read it now and see what the fuss was all about
Synopsis
The story's protagonist, Jude Fawley, is a working-class young man, a stonemason, who dreams of becoming a scholar. The other main character is his cousin, Sue Bridehead, who is also his central love interest. The novel is concerned in particular with issues of class, education, religion and marriage. There's a tale that goes around even now regarding Thomas Hardy -- that is, that the reaction of readers to one of his novels was so intense -- and so disturbing -- that he swore off novels and spent the rest of his life committing poetry. Well, the story is true, the way it happens, and this is the book responsible: Jude the Obscure.