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Book Review By Angela Allan
Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Tess Durbeyfield's life is suddenly changed for the worse when her father learns that their family is of noble lineage. In a series of events gone awry, Tess, unable to act for herself, decides to go work for their nobleman "relatives," where she meets Alec d'Urberville, who eventually rapes Tess and to whom she bears a child, though it dies shortly afterward. Torn by shame and regret, Tess decides to go to work away from home. At the dairy farm, she falls in love with Angel Clare, and eventually the two wed. He, however, is unwilling to forgive her past and the two seperate. In desperation and poverty, Tess returns to her seducer, who she murders for the sake of reclaiming Angel's love. However, their happiness is not long lived as the authorities come for Tess.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - depressed
Time/era of story - 1600-1899
Romance/Romance Problems Yes
Kind of romance:
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Pregnancy/Child rearing Yes
Major part of story:

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - a teen
Ethnicity/Nationality
Unusual characteristics:

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
Eccentric/Smart/Dumb: Yes
Eccentric:
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 10 ()
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
Farm/Ranch? Yes
Farm/Ranch: - farm
Small town? Yes
Misc setting

Writing Style
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only - impregnation/reproduction - rape/molest
Weird Victorian/Shakespearean English? Yes
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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