Review: Three' s a crowd!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 25, 2014
I found this a delightful read but at times very frustrating.  I do think though part of this was because of the times, 19th century.  Being a now kind of person and maybe quite liberal in my thinking, listening to Bathsheba just drove me to distraction.  She felt herself to be her own person but being so young and with the restrictions of the times she felt trapped.  Being so impetuous to the point of recklessness was infuriating, to her for the troubles she brought on herself and to me the reader.  I wanted to scream at her what she was missing when she turned Gabriel down at the beginning of the story, then again when she sent the Valentine to Farmer Boldwood and finally I wanted to strangle her for her involvement with Sgt York.  I totally agree when someone from my book club said, Gabriel was the only one that loved and saw her for who she really was.  On the other hand the book was very intriguing in the way that Hardy depicted each man's love for her.  I was not prepared for the results of the Christmas party but when you think about it, that was the only way that it could have ended.  The only thing I would have changed about the book is to have included more details about the ultimate ending.  But then I have that problem.  with every book that I read.  I have always said that the "live happily ever after" could be expanded on.  Even with my frustrations I did enjoy this book and I'm so glad I read it.  The classics can be hard to read because we are living in such different times now but to understand and relive the past is so great.