Jude the Obscure

If there was an award for the most depressing book I've read - this takes the cake. I do feel really sorry for Jude and Sue - the poor things with their children and their bigamy and how nobody seems to respect them - their illnesses and lacklustre lifestyle just make everything even more sad. It's basically a male version of his Tess of the D'urbervilles...

Characters:

My favourite characters are Jude and Sue; maybe even Arabella. But, Jude and Sue are the best. They always seem so happy together - but then something tragic happens and everything becomes a catastrophe of guilt and decadence. The destruction of religious-political culture is evident and there is a serious state of depression and corruption that waves over Jude's entire life. 

Themes:

Poetically brilliant, the themes seem to jigsaw together in a cause-and-effect way. The depression is caused by the tragedies, the illness is cause by depression etc. But, the best theme here is love and pain. Purely because I find that it's so well written into the story that we just can't get enough of the painful unrequited love that Arabella seemingly becomes subjected to. 

Storyline:

The book takes place over around 11 years - when Jude is 19 is when the book begins - ending when he's around 30. There are no words to describe what I would do if all that happened to me in 11 years. Oh my God. You need to read it to believe it. 

Verdict:

I give this book 8 out of 9.

100% for character: 

Purely because I love the idea of Jude and Sue being happy - but never being at their happiest together. 

100% for themes:

We are all fascinated with love and pain. Torture and Lust. This is the perfect novel for just that. 

2/3 for storyline:

Only because Thomas Hardy couldn't have made this book more depressing. The rest of it was fine. I just felt like I had Hell dragged out of my stomach afterwards. Admittedly, I cried at the end of this book.