The Mayor of Casterbridge Audiobook

" ...remains, for me, the saddest story of relationship entanglement I've ever read. "

" Important lesson: If you auction off your wife and baby, this decision may haunt you for the rest of your life. I wish I could have chosen 3.5 stars for this book--I liked it, but I enjoyed Tess of the d'Urbervilles more. "

" Thomas Hardy is one of my all time favorite authors now, after reading many of his books this last year, I truely appreciate a good classic such as this. So many twists, unfairness, sadness and old English drudgery, of just getting through each day and living life. "

" Really enjoyed this book. Expected it to be a quick read, because the book was so small. Wrong! It is an antique book with paper thin pages. Another of the books I read whilst living in England. "

" An interesting up and down saga of actions and consequences that begins with a drunken man selling his wife and child to a sailor in old England. An interesting story to listen to - maybe a bit cumbersome and slow to read (ala Les Miserables). "

" Beautifully written. If only my vocabulary was up to it! "

" Hardy's outlook on life was certainly grim. But it doesn't mean that he can't spin one heck of a yarn. Maybe the story is overly contrived, but Hardy's insight into the MC's character reflects our own follies and internal demon fighting. Captivating and timeless. "

" I was pleased at the beginning of this book, finding the story interesting and the plot moving along nicely. I'm glad I read it, but a warning, it does end kind of on a down note to say the least...something along the lines of happiness is just a brief moment in life which is otherwise all about pain. Oh well...I'll get over it, I guess! "

" Interesting, but in the end I tired of the drama. "

" From poverty to riches to ruin, so is the life of Mr. Henchard after he sells his wife and infant daughter at a fair for five guineas. And the guilt and the lessons that follow are abundant. I love Thomas Hardy and the irony he weaves through his novels, but this novel did not impress me as some of his others--say, Jude the Obscure or Return of the Native. Maybe it was the teeny-tiny font size that got to me, leaving me with a pounding headache whenever I put the book down. Still a decent book, just not as good as expected. "

" I'm a fan of Thomas Hardy. His characters are so doomed, the storylines are so dark; in some awful way the utter hopelessness of his plots appeal to me. The Mayor of Casterbridge has a lighter feeling to it than, say, Jude the Obscure or Tess of the D'Urbervilles. The plot has a lot of unexpected (except that it's Hardy, so you kind of expect some unhappy surprises) twists and turns. It has the feeling of a 19th century soap opera. "

" A tragic masterpiece, this story shows what happens to a hay maker who tries to outreach himself, he becomes the mayor of Casterbridge but things turn bad as his past returns to bring about his ruin. At the beginning of the book in a drunken state Michael Henchard sells his wife and child to a sailor. Nineteen years later having risen to mayor his wife returns and his downfall begins. "

" More classics from the yard sale. OK, the moral of this story is . . . work hard, be modest, conform to all of society's norms and then maybe you won't go mad and die of an epileptic fit. Wow, victorian England must have been a real fun place. I mean, Thomas Hardy was thought to be sort of controversial author during his time (according to the back cover) yet this novel is so conservative by today's standards. "

" My first Thomas Hardy book...depressed me for while after i read it. Fantastic story! A good one for fans of classic literature "

" I recently was reminded about this book...read it my senior year of high school. Its a good classic tale. "

" As it's Hardy, there are of course, tragic elements to this story, some of which are absolutely gut-wrenching. Yet there is some hope to be found from the experiences within. "

" An intriguing read full of twists and turns, with a rather anti-climatic ending. I enjoyed this. "

" I liked the idead of a man selling his wife and child for the theme of a book and so I thought I'd read it. It's been very good so far. "

" Very easy to read book and hard to put down. The story starts with a young man selling his wife and baby girl to a sailor after he gets drunk. Years later the daughter and her mother turn up. The young man is now the Mayor and very wealthy and the family are reunited. However there are a number of secrets which come out later in the book as well as the main theme of unrequited love and tragic death. However things turn out alright in the end, except maybe for the Mayor. "

" Interesting, but in the end I tired of the drama. "

" This book was boring for the most part, although there were some odd moments of humor. In a way, I'm looking forward to going over this with my English class. Hopefully, I will get more out of the book that way. "

" This is the first Thomas Hardy book I have read and I really enjoyed it. It did make me chuckle at the beginning when Henchard sold his wife, I can imagine there are a few men out there that would like to do that! It is one of those books that makes you realise that what actions you take can have consequences in the future. Henchard is not the most likable of characters at times, and I felt so sorry for Elizabeth also. "

" My favorite Hardy novel. No impossible coincidence is too far beyond the realm of conception for Thomas Hardy! "

" Thomas Hardy is one of my favorite authors. I just love his style and he tells a story so well. "

" An interesting story, though tedious at time. Not my favorite Hardy novel. Part of my Masters thesis discussed Lucetta and the Victorian double standard and compared her situation with Tess's from Tess of the d'Urbervilles. "

" SPOILER: In one of the final scenes, after the Mayor is cast from Casterbridge and he is trying to leave, but cannot... Hardy paints a picture of him walking around the outskirts of town in circles, although he does not truly realise it. Hardy was one of the best screenplay writers of his day -- his settings were always the best mise en scene. "

" I am currently reading this for the 3rd time, Jan, 2008 "

" I enjoyed the rich language and captivating story. The plot is surprising and the characters are interesting. I might just re-read this one "

" I have very little idea when I actually read this. I have a vague recollection of enjoying it though. "

" The story is so interesting. "

" A reading that stays in my mind many years later - I think probably influenced my writing. "

" This a powerful novel, describing the depths to which one man can sink of his own making. Definitely not to be read if you're having a bad day/week/month/year as it might just tip you over the edge. As most Hardy novels it's about as depressing as writing can get. "

" Another wonderful work by Hardy! "

" Good charcters/themes. Good traditional/modern bridge. Sometimes dry, but richly detailed. Enjoyable, but not essential "

" This was the first book I read as part of a book club I just joined. LOVED this book! Great life lessons to be learned. Michael Henchard is one of the richest characters I've ever read. "

" Once again, it's really hard to settle on a concrete rating. I have moments where I could almost give The Mayor only three stars, and moments where I could give it five. "

" When I read Hardy in middle school, I summed up his work as "pride cometh before the fall." Rereading this classic through adult eyes, I was struck by how often ego and self-involvement interfere with the flow of love and affection in both fiction and life. "

" This book is classic Hardy and it has a strange twist in the plot. If one is embarking on a study of Hardy, this is a good place to start. "

" I am currently reading this for the 3rd time, Jan, 2008 "

" This was the easiest Hardy book to get into -- the main characters were clearly introduced and the storyline was set up in a more straightforward fashion than I've seen in other Hardy books. So I began by really enjoying this book, because for once I felt like I had some idea of where it was going from the start ... but as the book continued, I realized that Hardy actually set up the story TOO much, to the point that it became extremely predictable. In particular, Hardy tended to present a happy occurrence only in order to utterly reverse people's fortunes a couple pages later. These were not set-ups that had been carefully and subtly developed throughout the story, but rather quick jobs inserted directly before the tragedy that Hardy wanted to create -- and he played this little game several times too many for it to be a novelty or surprise when bad things happened. In the end, I was disappointed by the book that had begun so interestingly and ended so predictably. "

" A book about the highs and lows of a man driven by his uncontrolled passions of jealousy, deceict and drunkeness. "

" Excellent. Thought provoking. A book I've finished 3 years ago, and to this day, think about. "

" I read this book in high school, and for the first time saw beauty in the written word. Hardy is my most favorite literary stylist. "

" The moral of the story. Beware. Your past wild and exuberant action may hunt you later, in the future. "

" Just could not force myself to get through this... "

" A classic classic, story of mistaken identities, mistaken loves, and ... mistakes. Plenty of lovely, flowery language to appreciate (or skim); however the plot was legit and interesting enough to make you want to find out what happened, though you won't be surprised. "

" A nice and straightforward read. A good place to start if you want to get into classics. "

" Great story. So Sad. I didn't like the bit where Lucetta and Elizabeth-Jane get chased by an angry bull, though. That was a bit far-fetched. "

" Totally depressing. Not as bad as Jude the Obscure, but getting there. "

" Ranks right up there with Great Expectations in terms of painful reading. "

" Loved it. A page turner, some surprises, some humor, pathos, etc. Great writing, great observations of the human heart. The ending is a little "soft" for me. I would like to have had Henchard be a little more decisive in his choices, but it was very good and well worth reading. "

" Read it a long time ago...can't remember the plot, only that I really enjoyed the read. "

" The plot took forever to get through but when you boil it down it was just like a modern day soap opera. The book was very intresting and i was suprized that I enjoyed it as much as I did. "

" 'He had no wish to make an arena a second time of a world that had become a mere painted scene to him.' "

" I liked this novel at first. It was the only one in my British Novel course that I actually wanted to read. However, as it progressed, it got worse and more boring and for some reason, I actually got less attached to the characters. I'm glad I read it but let's just say I won't read it again. "

" I had to study as non-detailed in College. Maybe thats why i didnt like it. i dont know why. "

" hardy's book is different from rest of his work so far. its a tragedy i really enjoyed. it fits with the quote -aspects are within us & those who appear kingly are king! "

" Very dark - not sure what I was expecting, but not this. I liked it a lot. It actually left me wanting to read more Hardy.... "

" Good charcters/themes. Good traditional/modern bridge. Sometimes dry, but richly detailed. Enjoyable, but not essential "

" A bit boring for me. "

" Good charcters/themes. Good traditional/modern bridge. Sometimes dry, but richly detailed. Enjoyable, but not essential "

" Terribly tragic, but I liked it. "

" What can I say??? Just read ALL of Thomas Hardy. I won't list all of his books on my list. "

" The moral of the story. Beware. Your past wild and exuberant action may hunt you later, in the future. "

" A reluctant trip to another time and place, but a rewarding trip, as it turned out. An over-exposure to Hardy in English Lit classes almost made me skip this engrosingly tragic tale, but I found the work a pleasure to read and a welcome contrast to some of the books that are being published today. "

" Excellent, gorgeous writing, but I was disappointed with the ending. The conclusion was unsatisfying and left me annoyed that I had waded through the complex plot-line for that ending. "

" Made a bid impression, but dull "

" My favourite book ever! Unusually explosive from the start which is unusual for Hardy and a thoroughly emotive read from start to finish. "

" Makes me wonder what furmity tastes of. "

" I'm glad I read this. What strikes me about the novel is how cruel but essential every plot twist became. I can't fathom a way any of it could have played out other than Hardy's masterful technique. Everyone who ever knew Michael Henchard was a helpless bystander of his impulses until the very end. "

" A good story as usual from Hardy. One of my favourite novels. "

" This book is excellent, and there's a surprise at every turn. I adored it and just think Hardy is a masterful writer. "

" I'd never read any of Hardy's novels before this one. I just started Tess of the D'Ubervilles. I'm trying to figure out why Hardy is famous, why his novels are on the many lists of must-read novels. "

" Fantastic Book. I loved it! The ending is so emotional, that I cried. The Mayor is such a amazingly character. Hardy rocks!! "

" Way too many coincidences and ironic plot twists for me. "

" This has one of the saddest endings ever. "

" i didn't enjoy this as much as other thomas hardy novels, mainly because i didn't read it as thoroughly "

" Like so many British novels, if people could just say what they think and feel, they would all be much happier. But Hardy is a fun and interesting author. The narration is really convivial and fun, and as a very old novel, it had lots of fun vocabulary. "

" Thomas Hardy novels are always poignant and there is nothing lighthearted about them. But it is a whole new experience of life and not for light reading. "

" Probably my favorite of his after Tess. "

" I love Thomas Hardy. This is one of his more affirming and less morose works. I really liked it. "

" I think this is Hardy's best novel. Certainly my favourite. Not as pity-inducing as Tess, but equally riveting. "

" The plot took forever to get through but when you boil it down it was just like a modern day soap opera. The book was very intresting and i was suprized that I enjoyed it as much as I did. "

" I picked this up again almost 10 years to the day of when I was first introduced to it in my wee undergrad days as an English major. Still love it. And still holding strong in my #2 all-time spot. (Might have to read #1 again just to make sure it gets to stay there!) "

" These characters must always pay the price of rather impulsive mistakes which eventually can tear down their reputations. "

" Loved it. A page turner, some surprises, some humor, pathos, etc. Great writing, great observations of the human heart. The ending is a little "soft" for me. I would like to have had Henchard be a little more decisive in his choices, but it was very good and well worth reading. "

" I thought this was a good read. It pulled me, wondering how the story would twist as I turned the page. "

" this is my favourite Hardy book. "

" The most truly romantic and happy of Hardy novels. I loved the book and the movie. I will never forget the sheep going off the cliff. "

" What goes around comes around. "

" This book was at a fairly unimpressive 5-5.5 on the Thomas Hardy bleak-o-meter...until the last 20 pages when it shot up to a strong 8. It's no Jude, but I could still use a drink. "

" I read this for school a long time ago, but I still remember it well. It was quite a trawl but it left an impression. I can't forget the (symbolic) goldfinch. "

" I really liked this, its a wonderful classic. "

" 3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book more than the other works by Hardy that I've read. His books are all kind of depressing, but I love the way Hardy describes the landscape and makes setting a strong presence. "

" One of my favorite books ever. Couldn't put it down. Highly recommend it. "

" Made a bid impression, but dull "

" Ranks right up there with Great Expectations in terms of painful reading. "

" I liked it somewhat more than The Return of the Native. "

" A book about the highs and lows of a man driven by his uncontrolled passions of jealousy, deceict and drunkeness. "

" read this for English at highschool. think it ruined it for me for evermore "

" My favorite Thomas Hardy book. Sometimes it's difficult to get past all of Hardy's descriptive scenery, etc., but this book had me from cover to cover. "

" This was adapted as a miniseries, but I can't help but think this would make for a great telenovela. "

" alas!!! uff alass!!!that on michel henchard did all good in his way but as sold his own wife and children by a mistake.he was a poor one then he become enough rich as a moyer of the royal but alas!!at the end he has nothing....but alas!!just onle subordinate was kept with him.. "

" O.K. Pretty much I love all of Thomas Hardy's books! "

" Typical Hardy, which means you either hate it or love it. A sad end. "

" I was assigned to read this in college and always loved it! "

" Good classic. There's always a new twist in the making. Classics are classics because the author combined imagination with the ability to communicate what he so she imagined. This is a great story about a man who is his own worst enemy. "

" One of my favorite books ever. Couldn't put it down. Highly recommend it. "

" My first Thomas Hardy book...depressed me for while after i read it. Fantastic story! A good one for fans of classic literature "

" This book is not as depressing as some of Hardy's other novels,but it's still a tragic tale. Tells of a man who sells his wife under the influence of a few meads and then it comes back to haunt him later in life. Well written and gives you that rollercoaster ride that Hardy does so well. "

" The Mayor of Casterbridge is a story about pride, revenge, and the consequences of one's actions. The story begins with a drunk Michael Henchard selling his wife and daughter to the highest bidder, and the rest of the novel shows how this act influences the rest of his life. "

" Ranks right up there with Great Expectations in terms of painful reading. "

" Loved it when i read it in high school. "

" Thomas Hardy novels are always poignant and there is nothing lighthearted about them. But it is a whole new experience of life and not for light reading. "

" I loved this story so much though I had it in college. But a good book is a good book no matter where u read it! "

" This a powerful novel, describing the depths to which one man can sink of his own making. Definitely not to be read if you're having a bad day/week/month/year as it might just tip you over the edge. As most Hardy novels it's about as depressing as writing can get. "

" Good read. Incredibly easy read too. I had been apprehensive about Hardy but raced through this book and will be searching out more Hardy. "

" Amazing book. I will definitely be reading this one twice! "

" For the full review (which, in essence, is the Cliff's Notes version of the plot, because I don't have anything to add at this time), follow the link to That's What She Read. "

" I think it is Hardy's best work. He does well creating a tragic character, such as Henchard. Even through all his flaws, you somehow still grow to love his character. Very tragic ending. Well written. "

" A reading that stays in my mind many years later - I think probably influenced my writing. "

" This is perhaps one of the greatest Victorian novels I have ever read. Hardy is the master of literature. His characters are unforgettable, his storytelling is priceless. More than likely, I will re-read this novel in the near future. A masterful work by a masterful author. "

" This is perhaps one of the greatest Victorian novels I have ever read. Hardy is the master of literature. His characters are unforgettable, his storytelling is priceless. More than likely, I will re-read this novel in the near future. A masterful work by a masterful author. "

" This is perhaps one of the greatest Victorian novels I have ever read. Hardy is the master of literature. His characters are unforgettable, his storytelling is priceless. More than likely, I will re-read this novel in the near future. A masterful work by a masterful author. "

" This is perhaps one of the greatest Victorian novels I have ever read. Hardy is the master of literature. His characters are unforgettable, his storytelling is priceless. More than likely, I will re-read this novel in the near future. A masterful work by a masterful author. "

" I think this is Hardy's best novel. Certainly my favourite. Not as pity-inducing as Tess, but equally riveting. "

" I think this is Hardy's best novel. Certainly my favourite. Not as pity-inducing as Tess, but equally riveting. "

" I think this is Hardy's best novel. Certainly my favourite. Not as pity-inducing as Tess, but equally riveting. "

" I think this is Hardy's best novel. Certainly my favourite. Not as pity-inducing as Tess, but equally riveting. "

" I really liked this, its a wonderful classic. "

" I really liked this, its a wonderful classic. "

" I really liked this, its a wonderful classic. "

" I really liked this, its a wonderful classic. "

" After listened to the BBC dramatization, I decided to read this book. "

" After listened to the BBC dramatization, I decided to read this book. "

" After listened to the BBC dramatization, I decided to read this book. "

" After listened to the BBC dramatization, I decided to read this book. "

" I read it at School "

" I read it at School "

" I read it at School "

" Rather dark. Tends to lag, but overall an engaging story of a man with great talents and even greater flaws and the havoc he wreaks on those around him. "

" Rather dark. Tends to lag, but overall an engaging story of a man with great talents and even greater flaws and the havoc he wreaks on those around him. "

" Rather dark. Tends to lag, but overall an engaging story of a man with great talents and even greater flaws and the havoc he wreaks on those around him. "

" Rather dark. Tends to lag, but overall an engaging story of a man with great talents and even greater flaws and the havoc he wreaks on those around him. "

" A bit boring for me. "

" A bit boring for me. "

" A bit boring for me. "

" Amazing book. I will definitely be reading this one twice! "

" Amazing book. I will definitely be reading this one twice! "

" Amazing book. I will definitely be reading this one twice! "