Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy
This was another book to movie, where I saw the movie first, & I think both were pretty good. This was my first Thomas Hardy book & I do plan on reading more of his works, but I will admit, going with 'the book tends to be better then the movie' bit, I kinda of expected more out of this book. I'm not saying that the book is bad at all, it is a well written piece of work, but you can almost tell that the heart wasn't completely in the novel. And if you read the beginning of notes in the book that I read (not the book from the picture an older version) or know somewhat of Mr. Hardy's life, then it probably makes since.
To me though the best parts of this story were the parts he extracted from his own life, Thomas Hardy had written this at a time when he could relate to the characters, Dick Dewy & Fancy Day, but I think he felt more connected with the all men band & choir, then he did with Dick & Fancy. He tells in the story, through these men that are apart of the band & choir of their church, apart of his own ancestry, which his father & grandfather were both apart of & shows the simple love & passion not just through Dick & Fancy, but through these men as well with the passion that they hold for their singing & playing, a simple love, that it is judged & wiped away.
Besides the men of playing & singing your taken to visit Fancy who comes home in away & begins to teach. But in that wake of coming home, a single women, not lacking of money, three single men find their ways to her, & her father not in wanting to see the pain of what his wife went through in marrying him, is pushing for the one with the most money, of course. Fancy in not wanting to disappoint has to chose & decide not on what is expected of her & not on which man she wants, but of the same decision her mother had to make; to marry for money & the happiness of another or for the passion & love she feels towards the man who has conquered her heart.
Books Read: 17/20.