Vital, passionate, spirited - from the moment Bathsheba appears she is beguiling. You can denounce her faults - she's selfish and capricious - but it's hard not to admire her determined independence
Di Speirs (executive producer of readings at the BBC), Independent

Vital, passionate, spirited - from the moment Bathsheba appears she is beguiling. You can denounce her faults - she's selfish and capricious - but it's hard not to admire her determined independence
Di Speirs (executive producer of readings at the BBC), Independent

Hardy’s warmest and most enchanting novel
Daily Express

Hardy’s warmest and most enchanting novel
Daily Express

Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd is the most romantic book I have ever read. I love the line where he says: 'Whenever you look up, there I shall be - and whenever I look up there will be you.' It is very simple and understated, but also incredibly romantic
Liz Jensen, Independent

Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd is the most romantic book I have ever read. I love the line where he says: 'Whenever you look up, there I shall be - and whenever I look up there will be you.' It is very simple and understated, but also incredibly romantic
Liz Jensen, Independent

Hardy expounds on his favourite themes: misunderstandings, missed opportunities, unrequited love and fatal omissions
Sunday Times

Hardy expounds on his favourite themes: misunderstandings, missed opportunities, unrequited love and fatal omissions
Sunday Times

The age-old dilemma - mind-blowing passion versus a man who knows how to put up shelves
Independent

The age-old dilemma - mind-blowing passion versus a man who knows how to put up shelves
Independent

Gillian Appleton 27 October 2010

Just finished the book and I really enjoyed it, much more than I thought I would. I definitely wouldn't have chosen to read a book like this. What can I say about the characters, I loved Gabriel from the start. He was kind, hard-working, thoughtful and deserved someone much nicer than Bathsheba. She was such a tease at the beginning and sending that Valentine to Boldwood and causing him such torment was just wicked. I did admire the fact that she had some spirit and get up and go which seemed extremely rare in a woman at that time although she let herself down abit falling for Troy. I could imagine Boldwood being a bit scary and demanding and I didn't like his manner at all but I felt sorry for him in the end. He seemed a bit of a sad character becoming so obsessed. Ienjoyed the fact that there was so many different personalities in this book and so many events that in some ways we can relate to even today. I don't think Boldwood deserved his fate and I was glad he didn't hang for Troys murder and what a selfish person Troy was. He was always going to come to a sticky end (oh,and poor Fanny). I didn't guess what was going to happen in the end and gasped out loud when Boldwood shot Troy. I wasn't even sure that Gabriel and Bathsheba would get it together until the last few chapters. I thought the conversations between the menfolk really funny. Life seemed so much simpler for most in those days, everyone was so accepting of their lot and didn't really expect a great deal from life, part of me was thinking what a nice existence that would be. I loved this book, lots of twists and turns and a happy ending but maybe that's because I'm like them simple folk in the book and very easily satisfied.