I have mentioned before the fabulous Victorian Sensation Bookclub; a great bookstagram community who buddy-read a Victorian classic. September’s read was ‘Desperate Remedies’ by Thomas Hardy. Now, I will be honest, I was not sure about a Hardy novel. He has always been an author I had been intimitated by. I am not sure why – possibly becuase there seems to be a huge community of dedicated Hardy fans out there, and I was worried I would not become one.
However, I was pleasantly surprised by my Hardy reading experience. I will admit that it took me a while to get the hang of the style – I mean, why use a simple description when you can have an over-complicated one? However, when I reached the description of the mathematical angle being the cause of an event going unobserved, I decided I was well and truly sucked into Hardy’s world.
‘Desperate Remedies’ has everything that makes a Victorian Sensation exactly what it should be. There is mystery, intrigue, secrets, murder and adventure. I absolutely adored every moment of this book once I had got the hang of Hardy’s style. I found myself dragged into the drama and keen to know where the adventure would take me next.
I don’t want to share any spoilers, so I do not want to go into the details of the plot. However, I would recommend that people who enjoy a good bit of drama pick up this book.
So, I feel – or hope – I am a Hardy fan and I am ready to read more of his novels. Fingers crossed, I am not disappointed. The question is – what should I try next?