Tess of the D'Urbervilles

July 28, 2008
Anna Bentinck ratchets up the melodrama for this full-blooded reading of Hardy's classic—a staple of high-school English classes everywhere. Students desperate to penetrate Hardy's notoriously slow masterpiece should turn to Bentinck, who gives it an intense emotional coloring. She makes Hardy sound like a brother to the Brontë sisters: passionate and brooding. Bentinck alternates between a crisp, precise narrative voice that sounds like Helen Mirren, and Tess's own voice, quavering, shallow and meek. Bentinck retains her composure throughout, and her assured performance may be a welcome rescue for struggling 11th graders across the country.

alicew - Tess of the D'Ubervilles is by the famous writer, Thomas Hardy. This has got to be one of the most depressing books I've ever read, Although the plot was not bad because of all those jaw-dropping events, there isn't really anything in particular that catches my eye. I don't really have a favorite character in this book because I feel like no character in this book is worth trusting. SO many things happened in the book that made me feel the truth of life and how people could change into someone that you don't know anymore. Although I like the author's way of writing. The work choices that he uses are so just heart wrenching sometimes and it just reflects on how the truth of the world is like. At last, I recommend this book to people who are older, I feel like this book is too realistic and it's sometimes harder for teenagers to understand.