What book are you reading now?

oh do! i was a little put off when i realised how big the book was (not a fan of long stories. haha), but i couldn't put the book down once i started it. (i didn't even know it was a book, i knew the title from the film adaptation!)

Brave person. I've got an AS level exam on it in May, and haven't finished it once yet.

I see what you did theeere We're reading Tess at the moment for A2, and though it was enjoyable at first, I'm getting fed up of having to read the death of Sorrow in what I imagine to be Tess's accent to the class in the words of Toby Turner; Good lord!

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Considering putting current book on hold in order to get the Handmaid's Tale? Recc's/Crit?

Good lord indeed! I tried doing that as well, bad idea given that I have an Australian accent and my interpretation of the Somerset accent was utterly laughable. Are you up to the part in Talbothays yet? That whole section is just so beautifully written (in fact, so is the whole book [apart from a couple of parts])

I really enjoyed Handmaid's Tale, it was very thought-provoking and compelling (once you got beyond the first couple of chapters). I don't agree with Atwood's stance that the events depicted in the book could become reality, but she certainly makes some valid points about the role of women. Not necessarily Atwood's best (Alias Grace and The Blind Assassin are, imho) but still a very worthwhile read. Anyone want to counter me?

oh no, Tess dies?! I'm just up to the bit where she decides she's going to tell him about her past. I feel the constant urge to shout, "No, no! What he doesn't know wont hurt him!" at the book. Realising it's paper and ink and not a human, I refrain.

I admire your restraint; I sure couldn't refrain myself from shouting
Her misfortunes are frustrating and disheartening - I suppose that's the power of Hardy's craft! Great novel. I must read it again soon.
I hope someone didn't spoil the ending, though towards the end I had thought it was likely, for it was her only way of release and absolution.

oh no, Tess dies?! I'm just up to the bit where she decides she's going to tell him about her past. I feel the constant urge to shout, "No, no! What he doesn't know wont hurt him!" at the book. Realising it's paper and ink and not a human, I refrain.

Thank you. I'm sure I shall enjoy the end regardless. I'm still intrigued to see how it will unfold. And just the way Hardy writes is enough to keep me reading and enjoying regardless. This has really encouraged me to read more classics. Not sure which to move onto next!

Tehe, not saying

Do not refrain, there are a fair few people who seem to get almost personally involved with the plot, haha! One of my friends and I spend hours ranting about Alec, Angel and the injustice of it all, despite the fact that it's, well, a fictional work. I'm one of those annoying people who can't sit through a film without empathising with the characters, and the expression on my face throughout a film tends to correspond with the mood of the film itself at that present moment (apart from when I was forced to watch Twilight, throughout which my face has a combination of these expressions: )

Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy.

It wasn't until the bbc programme with Sebastian Faulkes that I realised how very few of the "classics" I'd read. I think I almost assumed I'd read them just by the acknowledgement of the titles and recognising the main story line. But after the programme, I felt it was time I started actually reading these classics. Find out what the fuss was about.

And so far, I've not been disappointed. You can really see why this book has hung around for so many years. The way it's written, the obvious intelligence behind every utterance, the originality of it. Unbeatable.

Just reading this book makes me wish I could hop back a century and live like them!

I started it yesterday and I'm loving it!!