Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Davina Porter Does It Again!

Highly recommend! I read this book years ago, then had listened to another version of audiobook read by another narrator, and then found this Davina Porter version and couldn't resist listening again. I'm glad I did. By far the best experience out if the three.

56 of 56 people found this review helpful

A parable

Story of a woman who gave heart and soul to "her man" - and got bitten, not once but twice. The powerless but perfect female character is a little hard to swallow, but Thomas Hardy is a master of evoking visions of the English countryside and the ethos of an earlier time.

35 of 36 people found this review helpful

Narration is entertaining. Story is infuriating.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Narration-wise, it was very entertaining; Porter sings, whispers, chants, and uses a myriad of different accents to really bring the characters to life. Story-wise, Tess will stick with you a long time after you read it, and Hardy's language is beautiful.

What did you like best about this story?

Hardy's language. I wrote down about fifteen different quotes from the book that I enjoyed as I was listening to it. Truly beautiful at points.

Which scene was your favorite?

Hard to say. Tess' life doesn't have many starry moments. I do believe I was happiest for her when she was dancing with her friends at the very beginning of the novel, before she met Alec or Angel.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

There were moments when I didn't want to stop listening, and moments when I wished things would move along just a little bit faster (in particular when Tess was deciding whether or not to tell Angel about her past; I found her back-and-forth too repetitive). I don't think I could have made it through the entire thing in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

The narration is entertaining, but the story is just as tragic as the other comments say. Expect to hate the world a little bit when you've finished. You'll be infuriated for and at Tess all at once.

24 of 25 people found this review helpful

Tess the Hot Mess of the d'Urbervilles

Suffering. Heartbreak. Injustice. Good grief. Never have I been so glad to enter this world in the 20th Century (and not sooner)! But, poor, poor Tess dUrberville. Her extremes of mortification and deprivation, which rake at her relentlessly and which spring from those villainous Victorian affectations - well, it bordered on the oppressive, it truly did. Has anyone ever been as unlucky as Tess dUrberville?

Only the majestic parade of elaborate, spotless sentences kept me reading. Thomas Hardy did not just write. He ennobled his reader with word monuments - chapter after celestial chapter, lines and lines of magnificently turned-out sentences.

Throughout the story, dread is ever-present, lurking in every small turn of events, and we know, we just know, as we read on, that there will be, there must be, a limit to her forbearance. Hardy seems to luxuriate in the misery and inequity. Readers are made uncomfortable by the torments of poor Tess. Of course, this is no accident. His message on the abuses of the era is loud and clear.

My mind has been steeped in such bounty of lovely language, that I cannot resent Hardy for dispatching so many hours of doom and gloom. It is a very BIG story and a great one, too, although you might need to medicate with some chocolate when done. #FemaleProtagonist #heartfelt #depressing #victorian #tearjerker #torturedheroine #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

22 of 23 people found this review helpful

The Novel as a *Ball of Light in One's Hand*

As one reads Thomas Hardy's 1891 novel, it can be terribly tough to swallow the unremitting victimization of Tess, a poor but "pure" girl from a rural family. Hardy's theme calling on readers' sympathy for the female protagonist, while in many novels would be a glaring weakness, is by novel's end its supreme strength. I cannot think of another novel that comes close to the power and effectiveness in its scathing indictment of men's exploitation of poor women in Victorian society as does "Tess of the D'Urbervilles."

The novel was reportedly scandalous at publication due to its empathetic treatment of a "disgraced" woman. Truth hurts most. Hardy slammed home the absurdity of existing Victorian mores whereby exploited women of poverty were deemed at fault for their sexual and economic exploitation and for their impoverishment. In this way, Tess is the type of book Ezra Pound referred to as "a ball of light in one's hand"--hoisted with the exclamation, Shame on You and Stop the Absurdity!

I hold a special place in my literary heart for such fearless, forceful and arresting attacks over the ages on arrogant, affluential a-holes.

In the story, poor Tess is mercilessly manipulated by two men. First, Alec D'Urberville, a citified cad, rapes and impregnates her on her first job (and, much later, fraudulently seduces her). Then she moves away to work on another farm where she is heavily romanced by and falls in love with Angel Clare who quixotically envisions Tess as a pure and heavenly female who he likens to Demeter, the Greek goddess of fertility. The idealistic character of Clare's expectations renders him unable to forgive Tess for not being a virgin when they married, and causes him to abandon her.

By no accounts is Tess's story uplifting. History shows however that Hardy's most-read novel was a necessary ball of light and one of the most paradigmatic, kick-butt social novels ever.

17 of 18 people found this review helpful

Dark

This is a dark and depressing masterpiece, brilliantly written and hard to put down. Hated the ending.

12 of 13 people found this review helpful

Davina Porter makes this lovely book even better

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Naturally the writing style was a bit old fashioned for my taste but the subject matter and innuendos were surprisingly riske and modern. I'd like to complain about the tragic ending but in all honesty I can't. It was refreshing to read a novel that was realistic and believable. Overall the writing style was what I expected and the story was beautiful. You'll be writing down quotes as you go.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

It was very interesting to get an accurate interpretation of what life was like for a woman like Tess. I find that as a woman I take for granted what would have saved her from such misery. If you're in the mood to appreciate the small things there is no part of this book that isn't interesting.

Which character – as performed by Davina Porter – was your favorite?

Naturally, Tess. She's no Clair Frasier but Davina always brings a story to life.

Do you think Tess of the d’Urbervilles needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Tad late for that.

Any additional comments?

I would definitely recommend this book. Don't expect a rock your socks romance but Tess will stay in the back of your mind long after you finish.

31 of 35 people found this review helpful

Excellent

What made the experience of listening to Tess of the d’Urbervilles the most enjoyable?

I love the narrator's voice. Since this story was written so long ago, it described the life and times of the people, politics, religion, etc. I love the "history" of it. I could picture the countryside, feel grateful that I never had to suffer the deprivation that was so common back then, could feel the fabrics, and taste the food.....

What about Davina Porter’s performance did you like?

To me, Davina Porter is a famous narrator. I am used to, and love the sound of, her voice. Her inflections of the dialog were spot on.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

One of the scenes that struck me was the description of the work performed by hand in the turnip fields; the extreme physicality of it, braving the elements, and subsisting on next to no food...

Any additional comments?

The authors of those times have an excellent command of vocabulary and phrasing, setting the scenes and transitioning into the next scene. Very articulate and descriptive...

10 of 11 people found this review helpful

Hardy's Best

I first read this classic 54 years ago and I remember how deeply impacted I was by this emotional tale of such a powerful woman. Now, in this brilliantly performed Audible revisitation, the 17 hour binge put me in touch with many parallels of my past life and that of Tess and these other characters. For the moment, I just can't seem to stop flooding.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Thomas Hardy is an indomitable writer.

This probably isn't the best book for anyone to read if they are depressed. But the writing itself is exquisite. No one surpasses Hardy for his description of the primitive landscapes of England, or its rural people. Davina Porter never ceases to amaze as the narrator. Definitely recommend.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful