The Mayor of Casterbridge (G K Hall Large Print Perennial Bestseller Collection)

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: This book was writen with passion. Each word has an impact on the reader, and each page is a work of art. I've never read a book with more realistic characters or a more intense plot. The ending is sad. No other book has ever made me cry, but this, with it's quiet, grey ending made me sobb. This book is powerfuland enchanting. It has to be read.

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Summary: I thought this book had too much irony in it.
Review: The Mayor of Casterbridge was a very interesting novel. In my opinion Hardy uses too much irony, and this kills the fun of the whole topic. It is true that every day is filled with irony, but it shouldn't be in somthing someone is reading. the novel also shouldn't be too predictable, I guess that's why Hardy likes irony. If you are a reader who likes suspense and tragedy then this book is for you.

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Summary: I'm from India:
Review: I remember having read this book in high school. I immediately fell in love with Hardy. (I was also fond of Hardy Boys at that time, so in my opinion the name Hardy acquired a special significance.) Unfortunately, though, I never liked another book by him quite so much. I've read Tess of the d'Urbvilles, Under the Greenwood Tree, Far from the Madding Crowd(which was perhaps his second best novel, as others here have affirmed), and perhaps a few others. It is strange, or perhaps significant that I remember the exact circumstance when I was reading this book. It must have been about ten in the night. I had cleared my study desk, and unlike my common practice of lying on my stomach on my bed to enjoy a book into the night, I sat down on the straight-backed chair at the desk to read it. Very soon, I was overwhelmed by the narrative of Mr. Hardy. My father came in to see what I was up to, saw the tears streaming down my face as I turned the pages of my book, and quietly went away. I have never before owned any story books- my parents told me to read out of libraries. But now I am 22, and have started earning some money of my own, and I'm going to start a little collection of my most beloved books, to pass on to my children, perhaps? And this is among my very best.

Rating:
Summary: Fun and Satisfying!!!
Review: The Mayor of Casterbridge focuses mainly on Michael Henchard, but it's the little characters that make the novel fulfilling. Their personalities clash with one another at every twist, making Hardy's plot twists all the more enjoyable. Personally, my favorite character is the Furmity woman who does her best to make Henchard's life a living hell. The court room scene is a classic!!!

Rating:
Summary: A classic chronicle of sin and redemption
Review: If I were ever to be an English Literature teacher, The Mayor of Casterbridge is the first book I'd start with. Not just because it's filled with themes of major gravity or features extraordinary descriptions of England and its culture, but simply because it's a damn good read. One reads it at a breakneck pace, occasionally stopping only when plot twists have one's jaw dropping on the floor. This is one of the most truly amazing books I've ever read.

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Summary: Refreshing change in Hardy's writing style
Review: This is the easiest Thomas Hardy novel, but one of the most complex in terms of emotions. Being an English literature fan, I have to say that the story that goes on in this book is one of the most original and refreshing. If you found Tess of the DUrbervilles (another Hardy book) too difficult but loved the general storyline, read this, it's simpler for the simple minds out there.

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Summary: Man sells wife and daughter from drunkness
Review: The bittersweet rise, and fall, of an irresponsible man. A stranger who sold his daughter and wife to a fisherman, becoming a handsome aged bachelor mayor, by chance falls into the steps of his greed and not-forgotten wife and "daughter". A twist in the end, will have you believe this is Hardy's most purely tragic novel.

Rating:
Summary: TRUE ENGLISH CLASSICAL LITERATURE
Review: A simple written story, with a complex subject. The minds of the mayor of casterbridge and the wife he sold both have secret intentions of their own. Secure "their" daughter, and keep a high position in life. Hardy has written another beloved tragic novella, a true English classic

Rating:
Summary: The Mayor of Casterbridge--a masterpiece
Review: In this book, Thomas Hardy manages to cut deep into the human soul, and uncover to us a part of our makeup that though inacceptable in some cases, yet, very real. He talks of man's selfishness and desires. He presents his theory, which states that man's destiny is no more than the product of his character and fate. In the wake of the industrial and intellectual revolutions, he gives us an idea of what man's guidelines would become. It such a wondeful novel, that is full of insight and wisdom. (check the death scene, page 123; it might be as well, the most elegant description of a human being passing away!)

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but a touch too unrealistic
Review: The Mayor of Casterbridge is a book of fate and tragedy. The story revolves around Michael Henchard who, under the influence of alcohol, sold his wife and child. This is enough to demonstrate that one mistake can lead to a life of utter misery. Although Henchard thrives and becomes mayor, his past comes to haunt him when his wife returns. Hardy's description of Henchard's downfall is unrealistic. However, what I found most unconvincing was the manner in which Donald Farfrae completely replaced him. The ending is moving, especially his will, and the book is beautifully written; but I shall always find the parts I found unrealistic the most memorable.