Admirable technically, especially in his use of the natural world and the (sometimes) subtle symbolism and structure, but I can't say I loved this. A contender for the most English novel ever written and that's not really a compliment. I'm not in the mood for that, this decade, how life is bound by class and expectation and how we are underestimated and manipulated by men and/or our superiors. I realise that's Hardy's point and have no argument with himself or his women. I'm just tired of England.