From the Bookshelf of The Roundtable…

Jude the Obscure

Thomas Hardy

Start date: April 1, 2017

Finish date: April 30, 2017

Discussion: Classics Book Group Read

Discussion leader: Lauren

Why we're reading this: Winner of our April classics read poll
[close] Winner of our April classics read poll

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Showing 2 of 41 topics — 1,109 comments total

Classics Book Group Read

The Enchanted April - Nov-Dec 2018
By Lauren · 43 posts · 28 views

last updated Dec 01, 2018 11:23AM

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Impromptu "light" fiction read to close out 2018
By Lauren · 23 posts · 36 views

last updated Nov 13, 2018 08:12AM

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What Members Thought

Feb 05, 2021 Genia Lukin rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, 1001-books

I'm not sure what it says about me that I found Arabella to be the most normal, sympathetic character in the entire book. ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Mar 27, 2017 Sera rated it liked it

Shelves: kindle, 1001-books, own, literary-fiction, classics

I have to be honest - I didn't love this Hardy book as I had his other books. It all became just a little too much for me. The back and forth among Jude, Robert, Sue and Arabella bordered on ridiculous. Add the histrionics that Sue constantly had - "Don't Kiss Me!" - "Oh, Kiss Me If You Must" - "OK, NO MORE KISSING". I mean, wow, it's a wonder that one man could stand to be with her, let alone two.

Look, I get the messages that Hardy weaves into the story. Don't stay in a bad marriage. Society wi ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Mar 31, 2017 Irene rated it liked it

This seemed to be an argument for cohabitation couched in a drama. Jude and Sue are in love and want to be together but resist the idea of legalizing that commitment. They both have had short failed marriages prior, both have family legends that say their clan is not suited for marriage and neither have close family to encourage them. But, late 19th century British society expects that couples are married before they live together and have children. So for nearly 2/3rds of this novel, we are tre ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Nov 23, 2020 Pamela rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: boxall-1001-read, guardian-1000-read

Orphaned Jude Fawley dreams of becoming a scholar at Christminster, the university town whose spires he glimpses from a hill. He begins to educate himself in the classics, but his dreams are abandoned when he makes an ill-judged marriage. Taking work as a stonemason, Jude separates from his wife and then meets his cousin, Sue Bridehead, who fascinates him with her free spirit and unconventional view of convention. They choose to live together, but the pressures of society and their own flawed ch ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Dec 27, 2019 Christopher rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 19th-century, fiction, classics, british

I was warned that this is a distressing read, but 300 pages in I was thinking "it's not so bad, it's not a happy book, but it's not like everyone says." But then boom, it becomes worse than I could imagine.

I have nothing against sad books in which bad things happen, but I'm not sure how much I liked this one. The characters never came alive for me. This is not a novel that gives us intimate looks into the interior lives of its characters. We know that Jude is into classics and learning because ...more

2 likes · Like · see review