This was the first, fully formed, English novel. Fielding's tale follows the mis-adventures of young Tom Jones, from his discovery as a foundling at the doors of Squire Allworthy to his final days. The beginning and end parts are dealt with reasonable swiftly and the main focus of the narrative is the time Jones spends sowing his wild oats. Despite falling in love with Sophia Western, daughter to another local Squire, Jones finds it hard to stay as faithful in body as he is in mind. The main action of the plot revolves around a series of crossed wires, misconceptions, and missed opportunities and Fielding uses his wit to paint a satirical portrait of Georgian society, full of double standards and hypocrisy. Well worth reading.

A lot of fun in some parts, although the humour is more subtle and witty (like Austen's) than laugh-out-loud funny. The structure was really interesting and quite modern in hindsight, though I fear there wasn't enough in here to keep me interested all the way through! Probably could've done with being 200-300 pages shorter, but I enjoyed enough elements of the story and world to not feel **too** bored whilst reading this.

At 800 pages of wordy text, it was a struggle to get to the end of this book, and a relief when I finally managed it. It did seem to get easier as I progressed, although whether that is due to the text getting better or I that I got used to the style, I wouldn't like to day.
Being published in 1745, it is one of the earliest books in English that is recognisable as a novel. It is clear that in the 60 years since that publication date and Jane Austen's first novel, there had been a lot of developments in literature, not to mention society. Tom Jones' text is very wordy, very flowery and Fielding can take several pages to convey something which Jane Austen or one of the Brontë's could have managed in a few lines, or sometimes even to say almost nothing at all. I don't mean that in a negative way, it is just a different style that belongs to a different age.
The book is worth reading for a number of reasons. It helps you understand how literature in English has evolved. It gives interesting insights into how society of that time was different (and similar!) to modern England. The flowery language has a certain charm of its own.

3

Okay, it was hilarious. But what the hell had I just read?
Few quotes for you to understand what I am talking about.

„Tom desired Molly and Molly gave herself to Tom. Tom was grateful to Molly and wanted to be kind to her. This was the situation. Poor as she was, Tom could not think of abandoning Molly, and so he did not think of loving Sophia.”
*Less then 5 pages latter*
„His heart told him clearly that he loved Sophia, and that she loved him.”
And also:
„But even if he did not love Sophia, Tom could never love Lady Bellaston...”

It was so bad I liked it.

Well, except the
„Some of my readers might be surprised. But I suggest that Tom probably thought one woman better than none, and Molly probably imagined two men to be better than one.”
moment, it is so damn amazing and hilarious.

And I almost forgot about
„'I will never marry a man whose word I cannot trust,' she answered.
'Could you be faithful, after what I know?'Tom took her hand and pulled her to the mirror. 'Look there, my charming angel,' he cried. 'Look at that lovely face, that shape, those eyes and that mind that shines through those eyes. There is my proof. For what man who has these could be unfaithful?'
'Then, perhaps, Mr Jones,' said Sophia shyly, 'we could talk about marriage.'”
and
„You have been to bed with your own mother!”
parts.

A very engaging style...just don't get put off by the Latin, the long windedness and complexity of the language.

Persevere with the help of summaries, because the plot is actually lovely.

Best understood as a stepping stone from Epic to Novel.