The Mayor of Casterbridge

The Mayor of Casterbridge


By: Thomas Hardy
Reviewed by: awesomeVia, 16
Rating: Really liked it


The book is sort of similar to Great Expectations by Charles Dickens in how the character went from rags to riches but is different in many ways.
*Spoiler Alert ahead*

Michael Henchard starts off with having rum spiked in his porridge. And then, he keeps wanting more. His wife warns him that he's had enough. Being a mad drunk, he asks where he can sell his wife. His wife thought he was joking but then he was getting serious. Then a Sailor by the name of Newson buys his wife and child (Elizabeth-Jane) for five guineas. After he got over his drunkness, he then thought it was a dream but it turned into a real-life nightmare. He did all he could to try and buy the tw back but he could not find them. 18-19 years later, Henchard is Mayor of Casterbridge, living successfully until Donald Farfrae becomes the manager and his wife Susan and Elizabeth-Jane comes back.Eventually the polt gets a bit confusing as there are diputes with a woman he's seeing named Lucetta Templeman and Farfrae becomes successful in a method to use cracked grain. Later, Henchard is in a downfall and also realizes that he actually has no one on his side.

There are many sad parts, especially at the end. One will eventually feel sorrow for either Elizabeth-Jane, Farfrae, Henchard, and Lucetta.

Pretty decent book that one should read if one ever gets the chance.


Recommended to: Everyone