Ice covers the land, the house, the cars, the garbage littering our yard, everything. Church was canceled and Daughter1 called into work (though a suspected case of influenza has had her down and out for the last four days anyway.) The electricity was on and off throughout the morning, so I curled up in the recliner with a window behind me and finished The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928). Being a library loan, it's only two days overdue. That's an improvement on my part I'm happy to report. Now, what to read next? ...
Was it good? I'm only 1 for 2 on Hardy.
ReplyDeleteWas it good? Hmmm ... well, this was my first Hardy read and I knew nothing about him before hand. The story is a tragic one, but it made me wonder more about the author's own views. The few religious references felt of a more scholarly influence then faithful. While understanding this to be a tragedy I don't know that the author and I would agree to what exactly was the tragedy. Make sense?
ReplyDeleteI've since done a bit of Hardy googling and it was said he was "religious" though not devout, and actually at times agnostic. I can see that. This story is quite law oriented and person focused.
But was it a good book? I'll say it was worth a read, but not worth purchasing for our own library. The story wraps up and there are no loose ends per se, save for the gospel ... this was the true tragedy.
I think he might not have written anything that wasn't devastatingly tragic, and I'm kind of losing my appetite for devastating tragedy . . . .
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