I wasn’t hugely grabbed by Tess of the d’Urbervilles, but I quite liked this, Hardy’s first Wessex novel: a decent enough romantic plot, with some very good descriptive passages relating to the countryside. It seemed a much quicker and more enjoyable read than Tess, possibly because Hardy is not trying to be too Deep and Meaningful.
From the Heart of Europe
Books, politics, languages and life
Let the Great World Spin didn’t work for me. I agree it was well written and felt it described life in New York very well. However, the litany of misery seemed pointless to me, his pieces about family back in Ireland felt false, almost too stereotypical, and when I realised he had changed the facts regarding the tightrope walk to increase the excitement I felt cheated.
I’ve just started Neal Stephenson’s “Reamde”. I’m only forty pages in, but I think it’s got me on the hook.