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Title: The Return of the Native (The Student's Hardy) by Thomas Hardy, Colin Temblett-Wood ISBN: 0-333-17907-2 Publisher: Nelson Thornes (Publishers) Ltd Pub. Date: 31 December, 1975 Format: Paperback

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Average Customer Rating: 4.24 (50 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: Quiet, genius at work.
Comment: I laughed out loud as i read the first sentence: I had forgotten until i read it that it is quoted by Monty Python in their hilarious "Novel-Writing" sketch. But that might well be the only time i laughed during the book; this is not a humorous book but rather, like "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" ~ though less explicitly developed ~ the story of people tossed about by fate, chance, the gods, events, and the results are not pretty. Hardy writes beautifully, to be sure; not a phrase is misplaced in driving towards the effect of horror as good people are driven to extremity by events out of their control. It is hard to say that there is a hero in the book, unless perhaps the heath in Wessex on which all the action takes place. Certainly none of the main characters are completely admirable ~ though none is despicable either ~ in their actions and interactions. I have had a history of struggling with Hardy: Though i have read him before it has always felt like a chore (James is another whose novels give me that feeling); here i had no such difficulty, rather i raced (insofar as is possible) through it, hurrying toward the end, caring about each of the characters, and curious about the plot. Now my feeling is one of envy for a master of the language, one who is quoted in the OED as the authority for certain words' usage; envy, and admiration for the wonderful way he was able to put words together to make a place he obviously loved come so alive for another. I'd love to go to "Egdon Heath" sometime, to see it as it "embrowned itself moment by moment...." It might even raise a smile and shiver of horror both in me.

Rating: 5
Summary: Return of the Native...a Great Book For All Ages!
Comment: Hardy's talent soars in this novel, as he creates an atmosphere of love, death and life on Egdon Heath. Hardy's characters come to life on the pages, and they carry incredible amounts of emotion, passion and romance in their words. My favorite character, Eustacia Vye is an romantic, evil, and twisted woman who is out to get only what she thinks she deserves. She'll ruin everything in her path to get the man and the wealth that she wants. My least favorite character, Thomasin Yeobright, is a meek and "perfect" character who is so naive that she finds herself in irreversible situations. Other characters that intermingle in the story include Diggory Venn, Clym Yeobright, and my favorite male character, Damon Wileve. All five aforementioned people change and mold eachother into adults as they love, help, hurt and harm eachother. A trail of destined events leads to the explosive ending, and allows the novel to come to an incredible close, where no character is left untouched. Return of the Native is now one of my favorite books! If you like romance, drama, and fantasy, then this book could be perfect for you. It starts off a little slow, but before too long, Hardy will have you enveloped in the lives of his characters, and you won't be able to put it down!

Rating: 5
Summary: What a Delight
Comment: First, I must confess to being an avid Alan Rickman admirer. The man could read the local phone book and I'd gladly pay to hear it. Thusly, when I found he had done an unabridged set of audio tapes of one of my favorite books -- "The Return of the Native" -- I was thrilled.

"The Return of the Native" is a compelling and beautifully written story. I especially like the way Hardy makes Egdon Heath itself as much a character in the story as the human denizens of the area, breathing life into it through his wonderful word pictures and his special talent for creating moods. Hardy's vivid descriptions and excellent character development make this an enchanting adventure.

Add to this the velvet-smooth voice of Rickman, and you have a treat for the imagination and the ears.

Rickman gives each of the characters his (or her) own separate voice, and manages to do so without forgetting how each should sound. How he kept it straight, I'll never know (I, myself, record books on tape for an educational company and know how complicated that can be!)...what with the many inhabitants of Egdon Heath he had to work with...but, he did. Rickman also actually sang the songs from the book (and not badly, either), adding another dimension.

"The Return of the Native" (unabridged) is a must for anyone who loves good literature on tape, and for anyone who is a fan of Alan Rickman. This is a stunning production and well worth the investment!