This is the story of Tess, a naive country girl, who loses her innocence through a life changing tragedy, that threatens to ruin her chance of happiness. Probably the saddest ending of a Hardy novel.

The bitterness felt by the central character,Jude,stems from Hardy's own experiences, and as a result displays the harsh reality of hierarchical social closure felt by those on the outside looking in.

Although a pretty straightforward story, the central theme of this book is the resistance to modernisation by a small rural community, which essentially represents a larger societal issue of the day.

It took me a long time to locate this most elusive book, but it lived up to, and excelled my expectations...this is a story that will haunt you long after finishing it.

A riveting comedy focusing on the exploits of the upwardly mobile heroine (of the title) who attempts to better herself through unique means in a patriarchal world.