The Woodlanders
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4.4 • 53 Ratings
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Publisher Description
The story takes place in a small woodland village called Little Hintock, and concerns the efforts of an honest woodsman, Giles Winterborne, to marry his childhood sweetheart, Grace Melbury. Although they have been informally betrothed for some time, her father has made financial sacrifices to give his adored only child a superior education and no longer considers Giles good enough for her. When the new doctor – a well-born and handsome young man named Edgar Fitzpiers – takes an interest in Grace, her father does all he can to make Grace forget Giles, and to encourage what he sees as a brilliant match. Grace has more awe than love for Fitzpiers, but marries him nonetheless. After the honeymoon, the couple take up residence in an unused wing of Melbury's house. Soon, however, Fitzpiers begins an affair with a rich widow named Mrs. Charmond, takes to treating Grace coldly, and finally deserts her one night after he accidentally reveals his true character to his father-in-law.
Customer Reviews
Excellent
The plot for this book is slower to unfold than in Tess, but never the less develops as the book goes on into another great read.
A fascinating insight into countryside lives and loves. It's really about the natural beauty of simple folk in comparison to educated, well born folk. Warns against trying to manipulate your children for your own perceived benefit and status.
Increasingly page turning as it goes on.
Spoiled by Americanism changes
An insult to the memory of Thomas Hardy that someone should think it necessary to do a search and replace on the text to change this sublimely English novel’s spelling into the abominable orthography of America. ‘Autumn’ was even changed to ‘Fall’. Terrible mutilations. Americans should read this British English novel as it was written.