Rating: 
Summary: Compelling Romantic Story
Review: Isn't it odd how the best romances are the ones that you just KNOW that the underdog is going to get the lady? Hmm. Bathsheba's being chased by a rotting old man who just won't give up, a "fresh" soldier with a past, and her faithful worker. Strongly entertaining, very much worth the time.Only Hardy could write this well.
Rating: 
Summary: ugh, boring
Review: Last read by myself 6 years ago in the 9th grade, I believe I overaimed my talents in attempting a research paper on such a complex and soul-searching literary piece. Clearly, Hardy intended this book to convey more than just frustration and utter boredom, though many readers of Far from the Madding Crowd reported overly exacting detail descriptions and drawn out passages to cause readers confusion and loss of interest. I hope you read it at the right time and to re-read it because the 1st time through does not capture enough detail or appreciation.
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE GREATEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN!!
Review: That is the best description of this wonderful love story. I fell in love with the book from start to finish. It was magnificently written and the charecters were wonderfully portrayed. It is a glorious love story which has much below the surface. It is simply the best work of hers that I have read yet. As I said before it is WONDERFUL!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Really far away from the madding crowd
Review: The story takes place in rural part of England at the end of 19th century. Beautiful country and good description of many people peacefully living there are great background for love story of Bathsheba Everdene and Gabriel Oak. During the story they both changed very much. At the beginning she is very haughty and arrogant, but becomes delicate and tolerant. Gabriel is at the beginning of the story very tactless and even rude, but very soon becomes loyal and devoted. These changes make possible that those two young people fall in love. And Hardy could write in such a way that every reader can feel that this love is very deep.
Rating:
Summary: Slow but rewarding
Review: This book was a required read for Academic Decathalon but I was handed the cliff notes and told to study them if I didn't have time to read the book. I dislike cliff notes unless I have already read a book and I need to review so I chose to listen to it on tape. I was thoroughly surprised to find myself laughing at the overly-honest Gabriel Oak proposing marriage to Bathsheba Everdene, I had been informed that this book was something of a rural comedy but I had not expected such preposterous situations and ironies. The novel centers around Bathsheba though I would not label her the heroine because the reader is often frustrated by her behavior and even annoyed by it. She is quite poor but a smart girl and a particularly beautiful one as well. Gabriel meets her and soon decides he must marry this young woman. She declines deciding that she can't love him and soon moves away. Gabriel loses his farm in an unfortunate event and through circumstance comes to be in the same part of Wessex as Bathsheba. She has inherited her uncle's farm and is now running it herself and she is in need of a sheperd and sheperding happens to be Gabriels forte so he is hired. Farmer Boldwood who runs the neighboring farm becomes smitten with Bathsheba too when he recieves a prank valentine saying "marry me" on the seal(this valentine was sent by Bathsheba and her maid/companion). He soon asks for Bathsheba's hand and Bathsheba who feels guilty for causing this man's desire says she will answer him upon his return in two months time. The union with Boldwood is not to be since Bathsheba falls deeply in love with Frank Troy and soon marries him. An ex-girlfriend of Troy's shows up but dies shortly after giving birth, Troy is heartbroken and tells Bathsheba that he loved Fanny more and still does. Troy leaves and soon is assumed dead but is truly only missing. Boldwood moves in one Bathsheba again but in a set of bizarre events Troy returns to take Bathsheba from Boldwood once more. Boldwood is infuriated and turmoil ensues. This is an escapist novel in these times and is well worth reading. Weatherbury and Casterbridge will charm you and allow you to experience the little oddities of Victorian Era rural life in the pleasantest way imaginable.
Rating:
Summary: Slow but rewarding
Review: This book was a required read for Academic Decathalon but I was handed the cliff notes and told to study them if I didn't have time to read the book. I dislike cliff notes unless I have already read a book and I need to review so I chose to listen to it on tape. I was thoroughly surprised to find myself laughing at the overly-honest Gabriel Oak proposing marriage to Bathsheba Everdene, I had been informed that this book was something of a rural comedy but I had not expected such preposterous situations and ironies. The novel centers around Bathsheba though I would not label her the heroine because the reader is often frustrated by her behavior and even annoyed by it. She is quite poor but a smart girl and a particularly beautiful one as well. Gabriel meets her and soon decides he must marry this young woman. She declines deciding that she can't love him and soon moves away. Gabriel loses his farm in an unfortunate event and through circumstance comes to be in the same part of Wessex as Bathsheba. She has inherited her uncle's farm and is now running it herself and she is in need of a sheperd and sheperding happens to be Gabriels forte so he is hired. Farmer Boldwood who runs the neighboring farm becomes smitten with Bathsheba too when he recieves a prank valentine saying "marry me" on the seal(this valentine was sent by Bathsheba and her maid/companion). He soon asks for Bathsheba's hand and Bathsheba who feels guilty for causing this man's desire says she will answer him upon his return in two months time. The union with Boldwood is not to be since Bathsheba falls deeply in love with Frank Troy and soon marries him. An ex-girlfriend of Troy's shows up but dies shortly after giving birth, Troy is heartbroken and tells Bathsheba that he loved Fanny more and still does. Troy leaves and soon is assumed dead but is truly only missing. Boldwood moves in one Bathsheba again but in a set of bizarre events Troy returns to take Bathsheba from Boldwood once more. Boldwood is infuriated and turmoil ensues. This is an escapist novel in these times and is well worth reading. Weatherbury and Casterbridge will charm you and allow you to experience the little oddities of Victorian Era rural life in the pleasantest way imaginable.
Rating: 
Summary: Long, too descriptive
Review: This is a book that is too descriptive for its own good. I am currently reading this book for the Academic Decathalon and I find it long, uninteresting, and boring. It spends way too much time talking about how the individual trees are while not moving back to look at the forest. I give it three stars for the story, because it is a classic, but overall, I did not enjoy it, because it was too darn long and descriptive. It was a drag for me. My recommendation: if you like descriptive, thoughtful, where the underdog gets the girl, vanity type of books, I'd say go ahead and read this one, you'd enjoy it. If you don't, stay away from the whiff.
Rating:
Summary: Long, too descriptive
Review: This is a book that is too descriptive for its own good. I am currently reading this book for the Academic Decathalon and I find it long, uninteresting, and boring. It spends way too much time talking about how the individual trees are while not moving back to look at the forest. I give it three stars for the story, because it is a classic, but overall, I did not enjoy it, because it was too darn long and descriptive. It was a drag for me. My recommendation: if you like descriptive, thoughtful, where the underdog gets the girl, vanity type of books, I'd say go ahead and read this one, you'd enjoy it. If you don't, stay away from the whiff.
Rating:
Summary: Hardy's Feel-Good Novel
Review: This is a fantastic introduction to Hardy's work for those who have not yet plunged into his more serious (and tragic) novels -- it's the only Hardy I've read thus far that actually has a happy ending. In Far From the Madding Crowd, Hardy creates two of his most pure characters: Gabriel Oak and Sergeant Francis Troy. Oak is a shepherd with a good heart and impeccable morals, someone to be counted on in all cases great or small, and someone who will always give an honest account of a particular situation. Troy, on the other hand, is seductive and deceptive to the last -- the perfect villian. It is interesting that Oak and Troy never deviate from their pureness of character, and they are a delight to "watch" as the novel progresses. Although I think Jude the Obscure and Return of the Native were structurally superior works, I cannot rate this work as less than "excellent" because it has that certain Wessex charm from which I can't seem to break away.
Rating:
Summary: Hardy never fails...
Review: Though Hardy is at his genius best with tragedies, "Far From the Madding Crowd" is a pleaser anyway. Bathsheba Everdene is an exasperating heroine, but somewhat realistic. And Gabriel Oake is just wonderful! This book is obviously not as great as his later works, but if you're a Hardy fan, you must read it!
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