Far from the Madding Crowd

by Clare West (Retold by), Thomas Hardy

Bathsheba Everdene is young, proud, and beautiful. She is an independent woman and can marry any man she chooses - if she chooses. In fact, she likes her independence, and she likes fighting her own battles in a man's world. But it is never wise to ignore the power of love. There are three men who would very much like to marry Bathsheba. When she falls in love with one of them, she soon wishes she had kept her independence. She learns that love brings misery, pain, and violent passions that can destroy lives...

Genres: Classics, Fiction, British Literature

112 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2008

About the author

Clare West has over twenty years of TEFL classroom experience in the UK and abroad, and has led teacher workshops in Europe and South America. Associated with Cambridge examination courses, she became a freelance author, contributing to Oxford Bookworms and Dominoes and serving as Series Editor for Oxford Bookworms Playscripts.

Reviews

[Shaimaa شيماء · Rating 3 out of 5]

الاسم بيحسسك إنك هتفتح الرواية تلاقي عصافير بتغرد وخرفان بترعى في هدوء (زي جابرييل أوك في أول صفحة)، بس فجأة بتلاقي نفسك في وسط "إعصار" من الشخصيات المستفزة والقرارات الغلط والناس اللي بتموت والناس اللي بتدخل السجن.

هاردي كان عاوز يقول إن "الهدوء الخارجي مش معناه سلام داخلي". ممكن تكون قاعد في أجمل وأهدى مكان في العالم (بعيداً عن الزحام)، بس عقلك وقلبك فيهم دوشة وصراع أكبر من اللي في وسط القاهرة!

يعني يا جماعة مفيش فايدة حتى لو هربتوا لأبعد قرية في الدنيا، مش هتعرفوا تهربوا من صراعاتكم النفسية، وغيرتكم، وأخطائكم.

شخصيات القصة كلهم مستفزين

البطلة اللي الكل بيحبها مش عارفة ليه الحقيقة وهي محبتش غير المتلاعب..

جابرييل اللي فضل جنبها عايش في دور الناصح الأمين وحتى بعد ما دمرت الكل.. وراحتله عشان معدش فيه غيره سامحها عادي وافتكر إنه كده وصل للي نفسه فيه..

بولدوود الراجل العاقل الرزين اللي حياته انقلبت عشان واحدة مش عاوزاه وضيع حياته في سبيل اللاشيء.

[Tara]

This isn't the exact version I have (I have the movie tie-in edition from the 60's). I love watching a movie and then going back and reading the book again. It always gives such resonance to the movie and reminds me of motives that aren't always apparent when watching the movie. Fabulous book!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally got a chance to read this classic, and so glad that I did. The central characters experience multiple changes in fortune, but keep moving forward. It is heartbreaking, sweet, and funny all in one. The movie released this year portrays the characters well.

[lema :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I have felt lately, more and more, that my
present way of living is bad in every respect.”
This book has been in my bookshelf for 3 years now and I never thought of reading it
But this month I told myself to give it a try. I’m pretty sure this is my first classic.

[shaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

i accidentally read an early literacy version and i wondered the whole time why it was so plain and brief—will have to read the original version 🤡

[gio · Rating 3 out of 5]

ganhei esse livro de presente da minha amiga que o comprou em um sebo. a edição que eu tenho é da Oxford Bookworms, ou seja, adaptada para pessoas iniciantes em ler inglês. com isso, creio que o texto foi modificado e simplificado, o que atrapalhou um pouco no meu processo de leitura, mas me diverti mesmo assim - só sinto que teria aproveitado mais com a edição original, com o clássico completo em minhas mãos. não foi possível, então esse quebra bem o galho. gostei da história.

[Laman Abbasova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far from the Madding Crowd is truly a fascinating novel. Thomas Hardy masterfully weaves a story of love, fate, and independence, set against the backdrop of rural England. The characters are deeply complex, and the emotional tension keeps you engaged throughout. A must-read for classic literature lovers!

[Maud Lecluyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik wil eig zowa NU de uitgebreide verhaal lezen (niet de reader) en de film zieeeen!! Verhaal heeft me geraakt, zo mooiii xxx

[Stefanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I made it 1/3rd of the way through this book, which I chose from the Classics bookshelf online because it sounded vaguely familiar, and I thought to myself, "Man, this is really bad. The characters suck, the writing is overwrought, the plot is stupid and predictable, and the one female character is portrayed as being a minx because she has opinions and independence. It reminds me of that terrible Tess of the D'urbervilles book I refused to finish reading in high school."

I guess I thought Thomas Hardy sounded familiar because of the actor and shut out my reading of Tess, since I refused to internalise that book.

Anyway, fuck Thomas Hardy. I cannot for the life of me figure out why his writing has been preserved as "classic."

hashtag feminism mofos.

[arcobaleno]

Non riesco a giudicare questo libro perché
1. è una riduzione a scopo didattico,
2. sono stata poco diligente e l'ho letto con poca attenzione,
3. non ho gustato la lettura perché la mia traduzione è molto lenta,
4. facevo una gran confusione tra tutti gli spasimanti di Bathsheba...

Credo non ci sia niente di più freddo, scostante e antiletterario di questo tipo di sintesi!

[Margaret.s · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just watched the movie and it made me want to read this book now :D The style reminds me of Jane Austen's books

[Trung Nguyễn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Love Story, really deep!!!

[Leah]

I listened to the audio book. I loved it. It's so much easier to listen than read the classics.

[Alžběta · Rating 2 out of 5]

idk :/

[Market:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was easy to read, quite an entertaining story, some character development, Gab was hands down a dream man

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The final part was a bit shocking but i actually enjoyed her women power.