Hardys best, 01 Nov 2007
Hardy evockes such a powerful impression of women as strong independent people which at the time must have seemed brave for such a highbrow author. It seems a very modern novel in this respect and draws together all of his usual themes of class, tragedy, fate and love. His writing is at time's incredibly moving and powerful that you often need to take time away just to digest it's beauty and humanity. It is the perfect novel for me and one i now regard as my favourite ever. It always seems a shame that so few young people like myself read such a brilliant authors work .

Excellently read by Bron, 21 Aug 2003
I have to be honest. Though a great lover of all of Hardy's fiction, I wasn't a big fan of Eleanor Bron's. (Perhaps I remember too vidily her sneering character in Ken Russell's 'Women in Love'.)

But Bron's sensitive reading of this tragedy is a revelation which had me totally enveloped. Tess comes across as a pitiful, humbly righteous creature whose destiny seems inevitably gloomy almost from the first minute. The male parts (mainly D'Urbeville and Angel Clare) are equally well read and clearly differentiated.

Tess's silent suffering is the antithesis of today's modern, assertive woman, but is no less noble.

This reading lasts six full CDs, but I wished it were even longer. (I have previously bought a two-CD version, but that necessarily eliminates much of the subtlety of the book.)

If you're studying this novel for an exam, this is the ideal version to get well acquainted with the story.

Hardys best, 01 Nov 2007
Hardy evockes such a powerful impression of women as strong independent people which at the time must have seemed brave for such a highbrow author. It seems a very modern novel in this respect and draws together all of his usual themes of class, tragedy, fate and love. His writing is at time's incredibly moving and powerful that you often need to take time away just to digest it's beauty and humanity. It is the perfect novel for me and one i now regard as my favourite ever. It always seems a shame that so few young people like myself read such a brilliant authors work .

Excellently read by Bron, 21 Aug 2003
I have to be honest. Though a great lover of all of Hardy's fiction, I wasn't a big fan of Eleanor Bron's. (Perhaps I remember too vidily her sneering character in Ken Russell's 'Women in Love'.)

But Bron's sensitive reading of this tragedy is a revelation which had me totally enveloped. Tess comes across as a pitiful, humbly righteous creature whose destiny seems inevitably gloomy almost from the first minute. The male parts (mainly D'Urbeville and Angel Clare) are equally well read and clearly differentiated.

Tess's silent suffering is the antithesis of today's modern, assertive woman, but is no less noble.

This reading lasts six full CDs, but I wished it were even longer. (I have previously bought a two-CD version, but that necessarily eliminates much of the subtlety of the book.)

If you're studying this novel for an exam, this is the ideal version to get well acquainted with the story.

A real treat, absolutely unputdownable!, 11 Sep 2008
I could not stop reading this fascinating, mesmerising, magical novel by the talented Joanne Harris. It wove a spell over me (for the 48 hours it took to read at any rate) as seductive and tantalising as a cup of Vianne's hot chocolate.

Beautifully written and characterized, I was sorry to finish it.



Another magical tale of chocolate and love, 04 Sep 2008
What an amazing follow-on from Chocolat. Set four years later, this book marks the continuing narrative of Vianne Rocher (now going by the name of Yanne). Just like in Chocolat Harris continues to write her story in 3 first person narratives, this time we see Anouk giving her account of events, along with a new character Zozie. This form of narrative is used far more successfully in Lollipop Shoes than it was in Chocolat. Seeing events from the perspective of Anouk, still a child, really adds flavour to the book - Harris accurately captures all the struggles that a teen can go through with family and friends - it will have you sympathizing with her interpretation of the world.

Magic features more obviously in this book, compared to the hint of Vianne's magical abilities in Chocolat, which adds a colourful streak to the story that will leave you wanting more each time you read. The tension in the book is immediate, as you realize the significance of the new mesmerizing character Zozie, and urge those in the story to also see this. The tension continues to build as the story moves forward and makes you long to know how it will all end and what will happen to the characters that you come to love.

I can highly recommend this to all that enjoyed Chocolat, as it will make you see how much more Harris can amaze you with her writing.

Not amazing, not dreadful....., 31 Aug 2008
.....just a bit disappointing. I got really excited about this and bought it hardback as soon as it came out, however I don't feel it matched up to Joanna Harris's other works. Don't get me wrong, its well written, the descriptions of the chocolate still make your mouth water, and the magic is ever present, there is just something missing. I loved Vianne's unique and quirky character in 'Chocolat' but in lollipop shoes there is something that doesn't quite follow. A must if you've read Chocolat, but probably very frustrating if you haven't.

A great summer or rainy days read, 02 Jul 2008
Loved this book and had difficulty putting it down until I'd finished it. You definitely need to read Chocolat first in order to set the scene for this sequel.

Loved to hate the character of Zozie, who I'd expect to be the star character if the book is made into a film. Bit disappointed in the "wimpiness" of Vianne (the main character from Chocolat) but, for me, that made this book refreshingly different and I'd say it was a brave move by the author.

Loved the way the narrative switched from one character to another too.

well usually sequels are, 27 May 2008
- derivative and boring, but this one certainly wasn't. Joanne Harris is a real storyteller and the book just kept me hooked from beginning to end. In fact I think was better than Chocolat. Harris has matured as a writer without ever selling out. Long may she continue!

Hardys best, 01 Nov 2007
Hardy evockes such a powerful impression of women as strong independent people which at the time must have seemed brave for such a highbrow author. It seems a very modern novel in this respect and draws together all of his usual themes of class, tragedy, fate and love. His writing is at time's incredibly moving and powerful that you often need to take time away just to digest it's beauty and humanity. It is the perfect novel for me and one i now regard as my favourite ever. It always seems a shame that so few young people like myself read such a brilliant authors work .

Excellently read by Bron, 21 Aug 2003
I have to be honest. Though a great lover of all of Hardy's fiction, I wasn't a big fan of Eleanor Bron's. (Perhaps I remember too vidily her sneering character in Ken Russell's 'Women in Love'.)

But Bron's sensitive reading of this tragedy is a revelation which had me totally enveloped. Tess comes across as a pitiful, humbly righteous creature whose destiny seems inevitably gloomy almost from the first minute. The male parts (mainly D'Urbeville and Angel Clare) are equally well read and clearly differentiated.

Tess's silent suffering is the antithesis of today's modern, assertive woman, but is no less noble.

This reading lasts six full CDs, but I wished it were even longer. (I have previously bought a two-CD version, but that necessarily eliminates much of the subtlety of the book.)

If you're studying this novel for an exam, this is the ideal version to get well acquainted with the story.

A real treat, absolutely unputdownable!, 11 Sep 2008
I could not stop reading this fascinating, mesmerising, magical novel by the talented Joanne Harris. It wove a spell over me (for the 48 hours it took to read at any rate) as seductive and tantalising as a cup of Vianne's hot chocolate.

Beautifully written and characterized, I was sorry to finish it.



Another magical tale of chocolate and love, 04 Sep 2008
What an amazing follow-on from Chocolat. Set four years later, this book marks the continuing narrative of Vianne Rocher (now going by the name of Yanne). Just like in Chocolat Harris continues to write her story in 3 first person narratives, this time we see Anouk giving her account of events, along with a new character Zozie. This form of narrative is used far more successfully in Lollipop Shoes than it was in Chocolat. Seeing events from the perspective of Anouk, still a child, really adds flavour to the book - Harris accurately captures all the struggles that a teen can go through with family and friends - it will have you sympathizing with her interpretation of the world.

Magic features more obviously in this book, compared to the hint of Vianne's magical abilities in Chocolat, which adds a colourful streak to the story that will leave you wanting more each time you read. The tension in the book is immediate, as you realize the significance of the new mesmerizing character Zozie, and urge those in the story to also see this. The tension continues to build as the story moves forward and makes you long to know how it will all end and what will happen to the characters that you come to love.

I can highly recommend this to all that enjoyed Chocolat, as it will make you see how much more Harris can amaze you with her writing.

Not amazing, not dreadful....., 31 Aug 2008
.....just a bit disappointing. I got really excited about this and bought it hardback as soon as it came out, however I don't feel it matched up to Joanna Harris's other works. Don't get me wrong, its well written, the descriptions of the chocolate still make your mouth water, and the magic is ever present, there is just something missing. I loved Vianne's unique and quirky character in 'Chocolat' but in lollipop shoes there is something that doesn't quite follow. A must if you've read Chocolat, but probably very frustrating if you haven't.

A great summer or rainy days read, 02 Jul 2008
Loved this book and had difficulty putting it down until I'd finished it. You definitely need to read Chocolat first in order to set the scene for this sequel.

Loved to hate the character of Zozie, who I'd expect to be the star character if the book is made into a film. Bit disappointed in the "wimpiness" of Vianne (the main character from Chocolat) but, for me, that made this book refreshingly different and I'd say it was a brave move by the author.

Loved the way the narrative switched from one character to another too.

well usually sequels are, 27 May 2008
- derivative and boring, but this one certainly wasn't. Joanne Harris is a real storyteller and the book just kept me hooked from beginning to end. In fact I think was better than Chocolat. Harris has matured as a writer without ever selling out. Long may she continue!

Had to read it, not all bad, 27 Dec 2004
I had to read this book for GCSE english, I read it once but as I am a slow reader I had lost the plot by the time the end was reached, so then I went on to purchase this Audio Book and it really was a God send, the plot and the characters came to life, and it turns out the story isnt half bad.

A book with fantastic characters!, 13 Jul 2003
I thought that Far From the Madding Crowd was a really good book. It was the first novel by Thomas Hardy that I had read and it encouraged me to read some more of his works.
It is my favourite novel at the moment. I liked it so much because of the fantastic way in which characters are created and established. They are given such strong personalities, like Bathsheba Everdene, that it helps you become swept up in the action.
Far From the Madding Crowd is a novel about a country romance. A beautiful and interesting young woman is caught in a love triangle with three very different men. The first is the honourable and steady Gabriel Oak, who loves Bathsheba and is obviously fated to be with her, even though he seems quite her opposite. There is Farmer Bolwood who becomes obsessed with Bathsheba after she sends him a valentine, he is upstanding yet passive and we watch him drive painfully on to his undeserved end. Then there is the debonare Sargent Troy, who wins womans hearts and breaks them without thought.
This is a novel about life in the country, and how maddening it can be. It follows a magnificent set of characters, set in the beautiful place of Wessex, Hardy's imaginative countryside of England.
My favourite thing about this novel is how it centres on a woman. (A rare thing in the 19th century.) And a woman who is given the power to make her own descisions, be in charge of her money, and given sexual power. Bathsheba Everdene is a wonderful creation, up there with the best of 19th century fictions heroines. As complex as Madame Bouvary, innocent like Tess and tragic like Anna Karenia.
I reccomend this novel to anyone who is a fan of Thomas Hardy, enjoys romance novels or wants to gain a fresh view of England in the 19th century.

The tragedy of life revealed..., 29 Jun 2001
An unusually upbeat ending for Hardy... Or is it? I would say not. To marry without passion; to accept what is designed for you by fate; that is the tragedy of life. Bathsheba is a vital and strong woman who is eventually forced into succumbing to the ideals of the patriarchal society in which she lives.

As with all Hardy, you feel you know she could do so much more, but is doomed to remain what she is: woman.

A True British Classic, 05 Jun 2001
Although I had previously seen the television version some years ago, it was only recently that I read the novel. Spurred on by reading 'Return of the Native' for A Level (another fascinating read), I fell for the [non] love affair between Bathsheba and Gabriel Oake immediately. 'Far from the Madding Crowd' has tragic love, unhappy marriages, lust, death, murder, estrangement and so much more. Unlike most of Hardy's other novels, this one has a happy ending, although you have to go through the bad stuff holding Bathsheba's hand before you arrive there.

Don't be put off because it's an old book, it just might surprise you.

Great book about the underdog getting the girl., 05 Aug 1999
A good love story with a number of different subplots to keep the story exciting. The characters become very real, especially Oak and Bathsheba. Great story about life and love.

Hardys best, 01 Nov 2007
Hardy evockes such a powerful impression of women as strong independent people which at the time must have seemed brave for such a highbrow author. It seems a very modern novel in this respect and draws together all of his usual themes of class, tragedy, fate and love. His writing is at time's incredibly moving and powerful that you often need to take time away just to digest it's beauty and humanity. It is the perfect novel for me and one i now regard as my favourite ever. It always seems a shame that so few young people like myself read such a brilliant authors work .

Excellently read by Bron, 21 Aug 2003
I have to be honest. Though a great lover of all of Hardy's fiction, I wasn't a big fan of Eleanor Bron's. (Perhaps I remember too vidily her sneering character in Ken Russell's 'Women in Love'.)

But Bron's sensitive reading of this tragedy is a revelation which had me totally enveloped. Tess comes across as a pitiful, humbly righteous creature whose destiny seems inevitably gloomy almost from the first minute. The male parts (mainly D'Urbeville and Angel Clare) are equally well read and clearly differentiated.

Tess's silent suffering is the antithesis of today's modern, assertive woman, but is no less noble.

This reading lasts six full CDs, but I wished it were even longer. (I have previously bought a two-CD version, but that necessarily eliminates much of the subtlety of the book.)

If you're studying this novel for an exam, this is the ideal version to get well acquainted with the story.

A real treat, absolutely unputdownable!, 11 Sep 2008
I could not stop reading this fascinating, mesmerising, magical novel by the talented Joanne Harris. It wove a spell over me (for the 48 hours it took to read at any rate) as seductive and tantalising as a cup of Vianne's hot chocolate.

Beautifully written and characterized, I was sorry to finish it.



Another magical tale of chocolate and love, 04 Sep 2008
What an amazing follow-on from Chocolat. Set four years later, this book marks the continuing narrative of Vianne Rocher (now going by the name of Yanne). Just like in Chocolat Harris continues to write her story in 3 first person narratives, this time we see Anouk giving her account of events, along with a new character Zozie. This form of narrative is used far more successfully in Lollipop Shoes than it was in Chocolat. Seeing events from the perspective of Anouk, still a child, really adds flavour to the book - Harris accurately captures all the struggles that a teen can go through with family and friends - it will have you sympathizing with her interpretation of the world.

Magic features more obviously in this book, compared to the hint of Vianne's magical abilities in Chocolat, which adds a colourful streak to the story that will leave you wanting more each time you read. The tension in the book is immediate, as you realize the significance of the new mesmerizing character Zozie, and urge those in the story to also see this. The tension continues to build as the story moves forward and makes you long to know how it will all end and what will happen to the characters that you come to love.

I can highly recommend this to all that enjoyed Chocolat, as it will make you see how much more Harris can amaze you with her writing.

Not amazing, not dreadful....., 31 Aug 2008
.....just a bit disappointing. I got really excited about this and bought it hardback as soon as it came out, however I don't feel it matched up to Joanna Harris's other works. Don't get me wrong, its well written, the descriptions of the chocolate still make your mouth water, and the magic is ever present, there is just something missing. I loved Vianne's unique and quirky character in 'Chocolat' but in lollipop shoes there is something that doesn't quite follow. A must if you've read Chocolat, but probably very frustrating if you haven't.

A great summer or rainy days read, 02 Jul 2008
Loved this book and had difficulty putting it down until I'd finished it. You definitely need to read Chocolat first in order to set the scene for this sequel.

Loved to hate the character of Zozie, who I'd expect to be the star character if the book is made into a film. Bit disappointed in the "wimpiness" of Vianne (the main character from Chocolat) but, for me, that made this book refreshingly different and I'd say it was a brave move by the author.

Loved the way the narrative switched from one character to another too.

well usually sequels are, 27 May 2008
- derivative and boring, but this one certainly wasn't. Joanne Harris is a real storyteller and the book just kept me hooked from beginning to end. In fact I think was better than Chocolat. Harris has matured as a writer without ever selling out. Long may she continue!

Had to read it, not all bad, 27 Dec 2004
I had to read this book for GCSE english, I read it once but as I am a slow reader I had lost the plot by the time the end was reached, so then I went on to purchase this Audio Book and it really was a God send, the plot and the characters came to life, and it turns out the story isnt half bad.

A book with fantastic characters!, 13 Jul 2003
I thought that Far From the Madding Crowd was a really good book. It was the first novel by Thomas Hardy that I had read and it encouraged me to read some more of his works.
It is my favourite novel at the moment. I liked it so much because of the fantastic way in which characters are created and established. They are given such strong personalities, like Bathsheba Everdene, that it helps you become swept up in the action.
Far From the Madding Crowd is a novel about a country romance. A beautiful and interesting young woman is caught in a love triangle with three very different men. The first is the honourable and steady Gabriel Oak, who loves Bathsheba and is obviously fated to be with her, even though he seems quite her opposite. There is Farmer Bolwood who becomes obsessed with Bathsheba after she sends him a valentine, he is upstanding yet passive and we watch him drive painfully on to his undeserved end. Then there is the debonare Sargent Troy, who wins womans hearts and breaks them without thought.
This is a novel about life in the country, and how maddening it can be. It follows a magnificent set of characters, set in the beautiful place of Wessex, Hardy's imaginative countryside of England.
My favourite thing about this novel is how it centres on a woman. (A rare thing in the 19th century.) And a woman who is given the power to make her own descisions, be in charge of her money, and given sexual power. Bathsheba Everdene is a wonderful creation, up there with the best of 19th century fictions heroines. As complex as Madame Bouvary, innocent like Tess and tragic like Anna Karenia.
I reccomend this novel to anyone who is a fan of Thomas Hardy, enjoys romance novels or wants to gain a fresh view of England in the 19th century.

The tragedy of life revealed..., 29 Jun 2001
An unusually upbeat ending for Hardy... Or is it? I would say not. To marry without passion; to accept what is designed for you by fate; that is the tragedy of life. Bathsheba is a vital and strong woman who is eventually forced into succumbing to the ideals of the patriarchal society in which she lives.

As with all Hardy, you feel you know she could do so much more, but is doomed to remain what she is: woman.

A True British Classic, 05 Jun 2001
Although I had previously seen the television version some years ago, it was only recently that I read the novel. Spurred on by reading 'Return of the Native' for A Level (another fascinating read), I fell for the [non] love affair between Bathsheba and Gabriel Oake immediately. 'Far from the Madding Crowd' has tragic love, unhappy marriages, lust, death, murder, estrangement and so much more. Unlike most of Hardy's other novels, this one has a happy ending, although you have to go through the bad stuff holding Bathsheba's hand before you arrive there.

Don't be put off because it's an old book, it just might surprise you.

Great book about the underdog getting the girl., 05 Aug 1999
A good love story with a number of different subplots to keep the story exciting. The characters become very real, especially Oak and Bathsheba. Great story about life and love.

Disappointing, 14 Nov 2008
What a disappointing read. Long and drawn out, with ill-defined characters who were sketchily drawn and unengaging. In fact, I had to keep reminding myself who was who. Couldn't understand why the book was set in the 1960s; the social and moral sentiments of the story would have stood up in a contemporary setting. Indeed, some actions in the book, such as eating pizza and having wine to offer readily at home, seemed rather advanced for the period. There were a few potential intriguing elements of the story that needed more development and other strands that were overdone and tedious.

Hardys best, 01 Nov 2007
Hardy evockes such a powerful impression of women as strong independent people which at the time must have seemed brave for such a highbrow author. It seems a very modern novel in this respect and draws together all of his usual themes of class, tragedy, fate and love. His writing is at time's incredibly moving and powerful that you often need to take time away just to digest it's beauty and humanity. It is the perfect novel for me and one i now regard as my favourite ever. It always seems a shame that so few young people like myself read such a brilliant authors work .

Excellently read by Bron, 21 Aug 2003
I have to be honest. Though a great lover of all of Hardy's fiction, I wasn't a big fan of Eleanor Bron's. (Perhaps I remember too vidily her sneering character in Ken Russell's 'Women in Love'.)

But Bron's sensitive reading of this tragedy is a revelation which had me totally enveloped. Tess comes across as a pitiful, humbly righteous creature whose destiny seems inevitably gloomy almost from the first minute. The male parts (mainly D'Urbeville and Angel Clare) are equally well read and clearly differentiated.

Tess's silent suffering is the antithesis of today's modern, assertive woman, but is no less noble.

This reading lasts six full CDs, but I wished it were even longer. (I have previously bought a two-CD version, but that necessarily eliminates much of the subtlety of the book.)

If you're studying this novel for an exam, this is the ideal version to get well acquainted with the story.

A real treat, absolutely unputdownable!, 11 Sep 2008
I could not stop reading this fascinating, mesmerising, magical novel by the talented Joanne Harris. It wove a spell over me (for the 48 hours it took to read at any rate) as seductive and tantalising as a cup of Vianne's hot chocolate.

Beautifully written and characterized, I was sorry to finish it.



Another magical tale of chocolate and love, 04 Sep 2008
What an amazing follow-on from Chocolat. Set four years later, this book marks the continuing narrative of Vianne Rocher (now going by the name of Yanne). Just like in Chocolat Harris continues to write her story in 3 first person narratives, this time we see Anouk giving her account of events, along with a new character Zozie. This form of narrative is used far more successfully in Lollipop Shoes than it was in Chocolat. Seeing events from the perspective of Anouk, still a child, really adds flavour to the book - Harris accurately captures all the struggles that a teen can go through with family and friends - it will have you sympathizing with her interpretation of the world.

Magic features more obviously in this book, compared to the hint of Vianne's magical abilities in Chocolat, which adds a colourful streak to the story that will leave you wanting more each time you read. The tension in the book is immediate, as you realize the significance of the new mesmerizing character Zozie, and urge those in the story to also see this. The tension continues to build as the story moves forward and makes you long to know how it will all end and what will happen to the characters that you come to love.

I can highly recommend this to all that enjoyed Chocolat, as it will make you see how much more Harris can amaze you with her writing.

Not amazing, not dreadful....., 31 Aug 2008
.....just a bit disappointing. I got really excited about this and bought it hardback as soon as it came out, however I don't feel it matched up to Joanna Harris's other works. Don't get me wrong, its well written, the descriptions of the chocolate still make your mouth water, and the magic is ever present, there is just something missing. I loved Vianne's unique and quirky character in 'Chocolat' but in lollipop shoes there is something that doesn't quite follow. A must if you've read Chocolat, but probably very frustrating if you haven't.

A great summer or rainy days read, 02 Jul 2008
Loved this book and had difficulty putting it down until I'd finished it. You definitely need to read Chocolat first in order to set the scene for this sequel.

Loved to hate the character of Zozie, who I'd expect to be the star character if the book is made into a film. Bit disappointed in the "wimpiness" of Vianne (the main character from Chocolat) but, for me, that made this book refreshingly different and I'd say it was a brave move by the author.

Loved the way the narrative switched from one character to another too.

well usually sequels are, 27 May 2008
- derivative and boring, but this one certainly wasn't. Joanne Harris is a real storyteller and the book just kept me hooked from beginning to end. In fact I think was better than Chocolat. Harris has matured as a writer without ever selling out. Long may she continue!

Had to read it, not all bad, 27 Dec 2004
I had to read this book for GCSE english, I read it once but as I am a slow reader I had lost the plot by the time the end was reached, so then I went on to purchase this Audio Book and it really was a God send, the plot and the characters came to life, and it turns out the story isnt half bad.

A book with fantastic characters!, 13 Jul 2003
I thought that Far From the Madding Crowd was a really good book. It was the first novel by Thomas Hardy that I had read and it encouraged me to read some more of his works.
It is my favourite novel at the moment. I liked it so much because of the fantastic way in which characters are created and established. They are given such strong personalities, like Bathsheba Everdene, that it helps you become swept up in the action.
Far From the Madding Crowd is a novel about a country romance. A beautiful and interesting young woman is caught in a love triangle with three very different men. The first is the honourable and steady Gabriel Oak, who loves Bathsheba and is obviously fated to be with her, even though he seems quite her opposite. There is Farmer Bolwood who becomes obsessed with Bathsheba after she sends him a valentine, he is upstanding yet passive and we watch him drive painfully on to his undeserved end. Then there is the debonare Sargent Troy, who wins womans hearts and breaks them without thought.
This is a novel about life in the country, and how maddening it can be. It follows a magnificent set of characters, set in the beautiful place of Wessex, Hardy's imaginative countryside of England.
My favourite thing about this novel is how it centres on a woman. (A rare thing in the 19th century.) And a woman who is given the power to make her own descisions, be in charge of her money, and given sexual power. Bathsheba Everdene is a wonderful creation, up there with the best of 19th century fictions heroines. As complex as Madame Bouvary, innocent like Tess and tragic like Anna Karenia.
I reccomend this novel to anyone who is a fan of Thomas Hardy, enjoys romance novels or wants to gain a fresh view of England in the 19th century.

The tragedy of life revealed..., 29 Jun 2001
An unusually upbeat ending for Hardy... Or is it? I would say not. To marry without passion; to accept what is designed for you by fate; that is the tragedy of life. Bathsheba is a vital and strong woman who is eventually forced into succumbing to the ideals of the patriarchal society in which she lives.

As with all Hardy, you feel you know she could do so much more, but is doomed to remain what she is: woman.

A True British Classic, 05 Jun 2001
Although I had previously seen the television version some years ago, it was only recently that I read the novel. Spurred on by reading 'Return of the Native' for A Level (another fascinating read), I fell for the [non] love affair between Bathsheba and Gabriel Oake immediately. 'Far from the Madding Crowd' has tragic love, unhappy marriages, lust, death, murder, estrangement and so much more. Unlike most of Hardy's other novels, this one has a happy ending, although you have to go through the bad stuff holding Bathsheba's hand before you arrive there.

Don't be put off because it's an old book, it just might surprise you.

Great book about the underdog getting the girl., 05 Aug 1999
A good love story with a number of different subplots to keep the story exciting. The characters become very real, especially Oak and Bathsheba. Great story about life and love.

Disappointing, 14 Nov 2008
What a disappointing read. Long and drawn out, with ill-defined characters who were sketchily drawn and unengaging. In fact, I had to keep reminding myself who was who. Couldn't understand why the book was set in the 1960s; the social and moral sentiments of the story would have stood up in a contemporary setting. Indeed, some actions in the book, such as eating pizza and having wine to offer readily at home, seemed rather advanced for the period. There were a few potential intriguing elements of the story that needed more development and other strands that were overdone and tedious.

Nice reading , 19 Nov 2008
I had never read books by Hornby and I found this story very nice. It's true that the situation could appear a bit unprobable, but I think that this is not really important! I appreciated the author's ability in creating an original narrative structure, showing different points of view, and using for each character a different language. Very cunning.

Good Plot but Lousy Characters, 01 Jul 2008
Have to confess I'm disappointed with this outing from Nick Hornby. Normally I find the characters quite likeable in his novels, but in this one I found them dull and irritating, and wanted to skip their interventions, which was a problem seeing as they're the narrators of the story itself. The storyline, that of four people gatecrashing each others's suicide bid, is a commendably original one as always from Hornby, but don't be fooled by the blurb on the back of the book. Some of the dialogue between the characters is absolutely dire and I was fed up of reading swear words.

Hornby set a high standard with "About a Boy" and "How to be Good", both excellent books. "A Long Way Down" falls well below it. I hope the next one will be better.

A Long Way Down, 06 Mar 2008
I'm afraid I couldn't even get halfway through this book due to the ludicrous storyline and characterisation. Really liked About A Boy and High Fidelity, but this one should be avoided (as should How To Be Good)

A Topping Great Chuckle, 25 Feb 2008
When four people decide to commit suicide by jumping off the Toppers building on New Years Eve, you get the most unlikliest mix of people you could ever imagine.
And what follows is the constant up-to-the-moment viewpoint from all four jumpees, right the way through the book.

And it's an absolute HOOT!!!

I loved it: nonsensical and silly in parts, heart-rending in others, but all in all a great fun-read. And yet there's a serious message underneath it all - but why trouble yourself with it? - just enjoy the banter and the togetherness - I couldn't wait to get back to it - it just brings a smile to your face.
Enjoy.

Lazy, pretentious rubbish..., 23 Feb 2008
Nick Hornby is essentially seems to be writing the same novel over and over, each one slightly worse than the last. The characters and their dialogue are completely contrived and unbelievable - at no point do you get any sense of why the characters are staying together or any sense of real unity. None of the characters are remotely likeable and you feel no real sympathy for them.

As with a lot of the current crop of wafer thin English literature, he writes with an arrogance and lack of perception that assumes what is normal to him, both in thought, word and deed will still be normal and pertinent to everyday people, whereas in truth he is probably now a millionaire with very little grasp on reality. Indeed, all his great reviews for this underdeveloped and disappointing novel are garnered from places like The Independent, Observer and Guardian - presumably written by similar, deluded, Latte drinking, Range-Rover-on-the-school-run, Islington living yuppies as the author. Therefore, his first person narrative works much better for the music obsessed geek and the arsehole media type but his attempts to write from the perspective of an 18-year-old and 51-year-old female are trite, contrived and borderline embarrassing. Case-in-point - 18 year olds do not use words like wally anymore and no one under the age of fifty uses the word blow to describe marijuana - nowadays blow equals cocaine. Surely some of his Islington media chums could've told him that?

Even the names are too cute for their own good. In this and his previously, slightly better, but still pretty poor novel `How To Be Good', the author uses names like JJ, DJ Goodnews and Nodog - which probably seem a bit edgy and out-there to him and indeed probably were when the author first realised he was clever enough to write books, but unfortunately that was in 1992 or something and now using names like that comes across a bit like your geography teacher trying to be cool.

The book is living proof that good ideas don't always make good novels, especially if they are good ideas for films. And all this from the man who wrote `High Fidelity'... Sad.

Hardys best, 01 Nov 2007
Hardy evockes such a powerful impression of women as strong independent people which at the time must have seemed brave for such a highbrow author. It seems a very modern novel in this respect and draws together all of his usual themes of class, tragedy, fate and love. His writing is at time's incredibly moving and powerful that you often need to take time away just to digest it's beauty and humanity. It is the perfect novel for me and one i now regard as my favourite ever. It always seems a shame that so few young people like myself read such a brilliant authors work .

Excellently read by Bron, 21 Aug 2003
I have to be honest. Though a great lover of all of Hardy's fiction, I wasn't a big fan of Eleanor Bron's. (Perhaps I remember too vidily her sneering character in Ken Russell's 'Women in Love'.)

But Bron's sensitive reading of this tragedy is a revelation which had me totally enveloped. Tess comes across as a pitiful, humbly righteous creature whose destiny seems inevitably gloomy almost from the first minute. The male parts (mainly D'Urbeville and Angel Clare) are equally well read and clearly differentiated.

Tess's silent suffering is the antithesis of today's modern, assertive woman, but is no less noble.

This reading lasts six full CDs, but I wished it were even longer. (I have previously bought a two-CD version, but that necessarily eliminates much of the subtlety of the book.)

If you're studying this novel for an exam, this is the ideal version to get well acquainted with the story.

A real treat, absolutely unputdownable!, 11 Sep 2008
I could not stop reading this fascinating, mesmerising, magical novel by the talented Joanne Harris. It wove a spell over me (for the 48 hours it took to read at any rate) as seductive and tantalising as a cup of Vianne's hot chocolate.

Beautifully written and characterized, I was sorry to finish it.



Another magical tale of chocolate and love, 04 Sep 2008
What an amazing follow-on from Chocolat. Set four years later, this book marks the continuing narrative of Vianne Rocher (now going by the name of Yanne). Just like in Chocolat Harris continues to write her story in 3 first person narratives, this time we see Anouk giving her account of events, along with a new character Zozie. This form of narrative is used far more successfully in Lollipop Shoes than it was in Chocolat. Seeing events from the perspective of Anouk, still a child, really adds flavour to the book - Harris accurately captures all the struggles that a teen can go through with family and friends - it will have you sympathizing with her interpretation of the world.

Magic features more obviously in this book, compared to the hint of Vianne's magical abilities in Chocolat, which adds a colourful streak to the story that will leave you wanting more each time you read. The tension in the book is immediate, as you realize the significance of the new mesmerizing character Zozie, and urge those in the story to also see this. The tension continues to build as the story moves forward and makes you long to know how it will all end and what will happen to the characters that you come to love.

I can highly recommend this to all that enjoyed Chocolat, as it will make you see how much more Harris can amaze you with her writing.

Not amazing, not dreadful....., 31 Aug 2008
.....just a bit disappointing. I got really excited about this and bought it hardback as soon as it came out, however I don't feel it matched up to Joanna Harris's other works. Don't get me wrong, its well written, the descriptions of the chocolate still make your mouth water, and the magic is ever present, there is just something missing. I loved Vianne's unique and quirky character in 'Chocolat' but in lollipop shoes there is something that doesn't quite follow. A must if you've read Chocolat, but probably very frustrating if you haven't.

A great summer or rainy days read, 02 Jul 2008
Loved this book and had difficulty putting it down until I'd finished it. You definitely need to read Chocolat first in order to set the scene for this sequel.

Loved to hate the character of Zozie, who I'd expect to be the star character if the book is made into a film. Bit disappointed in the "wimpiness" of Vianne (the main character from Chocolat) but, for me, that made this book refreshingly different and I'd say it was a brave move by the author.

Loved the way the narrative switched from one character to another too.

well usually sequels are, 27 May 2008
- derivative and boring, but this one certainly wasn't. Joanne Harris is a real storyteller and the book just kept me hooked from beginning to end. In fact I think was better than Chocolat. Harris has matured as a writer without ever selling out. Long may she continue!

Had to read it, not all bad, 27 Dec 2004
I had to read this book for GCSE english, I read it once but as I am a slow reader I had lost the plot by the time the end was reached, so then I went on to purchase this Audio Book and it really was a God send, the plot and the characters came to life, and it turns out the story isnt half bad.

A book with fantastic characters!, 13 Jul 2003
I thought that Far From the Madding Crowd was a really good book. It was the first novel by Thomas Hardy that I had read and it encouraged me to read some more of his works.
It is my favourite novel at the moment. I liked it so much because of the fantastic way in which characters are created and established. They are given such strong personalities, like Bathsheba Everdene, that it helps you become swept up in the action.
Far From the Madding Crowd is a novel about a country romance. A beautiful and interesting young woman is caught in a love triangle with three very different men. The first is the honourable and steady Gabriel Oak, who loves Bathsheba and is obviously fated to be with her, even though he seems quite her opposite. There is Farmer Bolwood who becomes obsessed with Bathsheba after she sends him a valentine, he is upstanding yet passive and we watch him drive painfully on to his undeserved end. Then there is the debonare Sargent Troy, who wins womans hearts and breaks them without thought.
This is a novel about life in the country, and how maddening it can be. It follows a magnificent set of characters, set in the beautiful place of Wessex, Hardy's imaginative countryside of England.
My favourite thing about this novel is how it centres on a woman. (A rare thing in the 19th century.) And a woman who is given the power to make her own descisions, be in charge of her money, and given sexual power. Bathsheba Everdene is a wonderful creation, up there with the best of 19th century fictions heroines. As complex as Madame Bouvary, innocent like Tess and tragic like Anna Karenia.
I reccomend this novel to anyone who is a fan of Thomas Hardy, enjoys romance novels or wants to gain a fresh view of England in the 19th century.

The tragedy of life revealed..., 29 Jun 2001
An unusually upbeat ending for Hardy... Or is it? I would say not. To marry without passion; to accept what is designed for you by fate; that is the tragedy of life. Bathsheba is a vital and strong woman who is eventually forced into succumbing to the ideals of the patriarchal society in which she lives.

As with all Hardy, you feel you know she could do so much more, but is doomed to remain what she is: woman.

A True British Classic, 05 Jun 2001
Although I had previously seen the television version some years ago, it was only recently that I read the novel. Spurred on by reading 'Return of the Native' for A Level (another fascinating read), I fell for the [non] love affair between Bathsheba and Gabriel Oake immediately. 'Far from the Madding Crowd' has tragic love, unhappy marriages, lust, death, murder, estrangement and so much more. Unlike most of Hardy's other novels, this one has a happy ending, although you have to go through the bad stuff holding Bathsheba's hand before you arrive there.

Don't be put off because it's an old book, it just might surprise you.

Great book about the underdog getting the girl., 05 Aug 1999
A good love story with a number of different subplots to keep the story exciting. The characters become very real, especially Oak and Bathsheba. Great story about life and love.

Disappointing, 14 Nov 2008
What a disappointing read. Long and drawn out, with ill-defined characters who were sketchily drawn and unengaging. In fact, I had to keep reminding myself who was who. Couldn't understand why the book was set in the 1960s; the social and moral sentiments of the story would have stood up in a contemporary setting. Indeed, some actions in the book, such as eating pizza and having wine to offer readily at home, seemed rather advanced for the period. There were a few potential intriguing elements of the story that needed more development and other strands that were overdone and tedious.

Nice reading , 19 Nov 2008
I had never read books by Hornby and I found this story very nice. It's true that the situation could appear a bit unprobable, but I think that this is not really important! I appreciated the author's ability in creating an original narrative structure, showing different points of view, and using for each character a different language. Very cunning.

Good Plot but Lousy Characters, 01 Jul 2008
Have to confess I'm disappointed with this outing from Nick Hornby. Normally I find the characters quite likeable in his novels, but in this one I found them dull and irritating, and wanted to skip their interventions, which was a problem seeing as they're the narrators of the story itself. The storyline, that of four people gatecrashing each others's suicide bid, is a commendably original one as always from Hornby, but don't be fooled by the blurb on the back of the book. Some of the dialogue between the characters is absolutely dire and I was fed up of reading swear words.

Hornby set a high standard with "About a Boy" and "How to be Good", both excellent books. "A Long Way Down" falls well below it. I hope the next one will be better.

A Long Way Down, 06 Mar 2008
I'm afraid I couldn't even get halfway through this book due to the ludicrous storyline and characterisation. Really liked About A Boy and High Fidelity, but this one should be avoided (as should How To Be Good)

A Topping Great Chuckle, 25 Feb 2008
When four people decide to commit suicide by jumping off the Toppers building on New Years Eve, you get the most unlikliest mix of people you could ever imagine.
And what follows is the constant up-to-the-moment viewpoint from all four jumpees, right the way through the book.

And it's an absolute HOOT!!!

I loved it: nonsensical and silly in parts, heart-rending in others, but all in all a great fun-read. And yet there's a serious message underneath it all - but why trouble yourself with it? - just enjoy the banter and the togetherness - I couldn't wait to get back to it - it just brings a smile to your face.
Enjoy.

Lazy, pretentious rubbish..., 23 Feb 2008
Nick Hornby is essentially seems to be writing the same novel over and over, each one slightly worse than the last. The characters and their dialogue are completely contrived and unbelievable - at no point do you get any sense of why the characters are staying together or any sense of real unity. None of the characters are remotely likeable and you feel no real sympathy for them.

As with a lot of the current crop of wafer thin English literature, he writes with an arrogance and lack of perception that assumes what is normal to him, both in thought, word and deed will still be normal and pertinent to everyday people, whereas in truth he is probably now a millionaire with very little grasp on reality. Indeed, all his great reviews for this underdeveloped and disappointing novel are garnered from places like The Independent, Observer and Guardian - presumably written by similar, deluded, Latte drinking, Range-Rover-on-the-school-run, Islington living yuppies as the author. Therefore, his first person narrative works much better for the music obsessed geek and the arsehole media type but his attempts to write from the perspective of an 18-year-old and 51-year-old female are trite, contrived and borderline embarrassing. Case-in-point - 18 year olds do not use words like wally anymore and no one under the age of fifty uses the word blow to describe marijuana - nowadays blow equals cocaine. Surely some of his Islington media chums could've told him that?

Even the names are too cute for their own good. In this and his previously, slightly better, but still pretty poor novel `How To Be Good', the author uses names like JJ, DJ Goodnews and Nodog - which probably seem a bit edgy and out-there to him and indeed probably were when the author first realised he was clever enough to write books, but unfortunately that was in 1992 or something and now using names like that comes across a bit like your geography teacher trying to be cool.

The book is living proof that good ideas don't always make good novels, especially if they are good ideas for films. And all this from the man who wrote `High Fidelity'... Sad.


Tess of the D'Urbervilles, 18 Oct 2008
I never knew that such a tragic book could be written so beautifully. i am writing poetry based on it for my English coursework because of its brilliant imagery. I have never had a favourite book until i read this.

Magnificent, 02 Sep 2003
This book was written at the time of Hardy's descent into pessimistic literature, and since I heard that at the time, public controversy was caused by this book, I was quite nervous of reading it, because I had also read Far From The Madding Crowd, which has a great pastoral atmosphere conceived by the wonderful language, and that's it.

Then I realised how tragic yet magnificent this book was when I read it. It truly does elucidate the malicious prejudice of Victorian society against the lower classes (Tess'persistent belief that she is not good enough for Angel Clare was heartwarming.)

This has all the poetry and linguistic marvel of Far From The Madding Crowd, but it had the one catalyst that made me capable of immersing myself with the book - a storyline.

Beauty, tragedy, innocence and an unforgiving society., 10 Sep 2001
This is a novel so saturated with emotion it is almost too much just to read it. The plot revolves around the eponymous heroine, Tess Durbeyfield, a young and innocent girl who plunges headfirst into adulthood by giving birth to an illegitimate child. Tess is immediately condemned by a cruel society and her unavoidable fate is dragged out in heart wrenching detail by Hardy. What is most interesting about the novel is the author's obvious love for his character, and it is fascinating to imagine Hardy wishing for a happy ending just like the reader, yet at the same time knowing that he is unable to help Tess, his own creation. Everyone should read this novel, it has romance, murder, tragedy, injustice, intricate social commentary, and an intoxicating melancholia. The character of Tess is so well conceived by Hardy, she appears so realistic that the reader finds themselves weeping tears for her as if she were a loved one. Persevere with Hardy's somewhat lengthy descriptions of the surrounding landscape and you will find this novel to be as beautifully perfect as I did.

The use of fate and coincidence is truly tiresome, 23 Jun 2001
I find this book truly repetitive and monotonous.The repeated use of coincidence to link the characters is tiresome and unbelievable.The diabolic imagery surrounding Alec makes him seem a melodramatic caricature and is also tiresome.The use of landscape and nature to convey how the characters,mainly Tess are feeling is over used,as is the red imagery and refererences to Tess' lips.Tess is a pathetic character who brings about her own downfall,being completely naive and selfless.It is true that society does condemn her by it's wronged social laws and it is admirable that Hardy challenges society by titiling the book "A pure woman".However,overall I find that Tess of the d'Urbevilles is a tiresome and boring book,which is difficult to read and I can honestly say I had no trouble putting this one down.

Tragic, moving tale of a woman battling against cruel fate., 19 Apr 2001
This is my favourite book by any author. It tells of a woman who is crippled by her poverty - stricken background and feckless parents, vainly trying to live according to inate ideals of sincerity, passion, loyalty and truth in a corrupt, decaying rural landscape. Her attempts to do the right thing and live life in a full, honest way are everywhere thwarted by the cruel, mocking twists of fate and the inability of the male characters to rise beyond the narrow constraints of their physical desires and spiritual poverty. It makes me weep everytime.