VICTOBER 2025 discussion

A thread for thoughts on our 2022 group read.

I think this is my 2nd or 3rd read and I'm enjoying it so far. The opening chapter is so stiking in terms of the events that take place.

I last re-read this novel in 2017 so am really enjoying it again. I studied for my English Literature O Level many years ago.
The opening chapter is both shocking and sad. I am going to have a go at making furmity (minus the rum!) I have a recipe somewhere.

It's more than 40 years since I last read this one and four chapters in I am so happy to be rereading it. I loved how he portrays Susan's simple dignity in the first chapter. She's had enough of Henchard belittling her and decides to go with someone who wants her. Rash probably but seems she feels it can't be worse than her current situation.

Sandybeth you must tell us how the frumity works out.

This is my first read of The Mayor of Casterbridge, I do like Hardy’s writing! Happy to be included in this group.

This is my first time reading any Hardy, and it's been a very promising start. From the Victober announcement videos, I knew about the wife-and-baby being sold at the opening of the book, and it had almost turned me off the very idea of this novel - how could an author depict that in a way that didn't feel ridiculously artificial? But I thought it happens surprisingly naturally. I also loved the sense of character and place that emerges even from just the first couple of pages.

I'm still waiting for my book to come, I wasn't sur if I'd join the readalong since my October is already stack, so I ordered it too late.
This will be my first read of this book. I previously read Far From the Madding Crowd from Hardy which I really loved. The premise of this one seems really intriguing, so I'm excited :-)

This will be my first time reading this book by Hardy. My introduction to Hardy was Tess of the Dubervilles. The only nice thing I have to say about that book is that it had lovely prose. To say I hated that book is putting it lightly. Hopefully this book goes better for me than Tess did.

My introduction to Hardy was Jude, the Obscure when I was 15. As a result, I haven't read anything else by him since... but I'm so glad I picked this one up, the quality of the prose drew me in, the scene are constructed like paintings.

Ioana that's a really good way to put it. He knows and loved that landscape and grew up with people like these, but still the way he brings them to the page for us is extraordinary.

It's been ages since I've read it, and I'm glad to be rereading it. I'd forgotten a lot, particularly Hardy's style, which is very evocative, and how much time had passed since the events at the end of chapter two and the beginning of chapter three.
Next fall is however many decades, lol, since British Novel class, and I'm planning to reading the curriculum which was Victorian, and so it will overlap with Victober :).

I’m enjoying this so far and feel like eating furmity now! Something similar to furmity is still eaten in Cyprus to this day. It’s called trahana and my grandpa used to eat it. It’s quite moreish and nice to eat when you’re ill but it’s quite different to the furmity they eat in the novel - it’s a creamy wheat soup and you can add halloumi which melts in and makes it even more moreish. Sounds strange but it’s nice (acquired taste though!). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frumenty

Mel, that is so interesting! I love halloumi, so might have to give that a try.

This is my first time reading any Thomas Hardy (besides a few short poems). I am really enjoying his writing style!! Like others have said, he really paints the scenes.

Does anyone else have a sinking feeling after the first two chapters? Like the worst is yet to come?👀

Emily wrote: "Does anyone else have a sinking feeling after the first two chapters? Like the worst is yet to come?"

I was hoping that was just me, ahah. It was introduced as a depressing novel, but I found myself thinking that it's not too draining to read, like some novels can be (though it is a little more so to think about, after the fact). But I think what it is is that the worst is yet to come. Still, assuming we hang on to Susan as a narrator, I think she has, from what we saw in that first chapter, a strength of character such that nothing will affect her too much. I hope...

This April I decided to read/reread all of Thomas Hardy's novels. I actually finished last night. To complement my reading I watched numerous youtube videoes. I particularly enjoyed Jen the Librarian and Books and Things, who have both reviewed all 14 novels. Through Katie I noticed this read-along of The Mayor of Casterbridge, and although unsure of what a read-along might involve I thought it could be fun. So here I am four chapters in. I also watched a decent UK TV adaption this morning - ITV around 1983ish I think.
Anyway, on each re-read, I love this book even more.

Hi everyone, This is my first time reading any Hardy. I have been hesitant but decided to give reading it with the group a try.

All fourteen in one year is quite something Mr A. Glad you are here as with them all fresh in your mind you'll be good for comparisons.

A couple of thoughts having read chapters three and four:

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1. Given Elizabeth seemed slightly sceptical about heading to Weydon in the first place, how has Susan managed to persuade her that it's a great idea for them to travel to another town a hundred miles away just to see (what Elizabeth believes to be) a distant relative?!

2. Two days into Victober and I've already been reminded of the pervasiveness of death in literature from this era - it's everywhere. Here we've had Newson lost/dead, and in Susan's talk 'there was ... that renunciatory tone which showed that, but for the girl, she would not be very sorry to quit a life she was growing thoroughly weary of'. Death has featured as a key component in many of the poems (by Rossetti) and short stories (by Wilde) that I've read over the last two days, too.
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Chapters 1-4: I haven't read a lot of Hardy. I read Tess of the D'urbervilles in high school and Under the Greenwood Tree. I found the first 4 chapters very readable and the plot engaging. I was surprised to find Susan the perspective we are following, especially since the subtitle of the book is A Story of a Man of Character. With the title and the sub-title, I expected to be following Michael.

This is probably my third read of M of C but I still find the first chapter such a clever opening to a book . . . a shocking thing to happen and the reader knows there will be repercussions.

PaulaJA wrote: "This is probably my third read of M of C but I still find the first chapter such a clever opening to a book . . . a shocking thing to happen and the reader knows there will be repercussions."

I agree. Such an outlandish but concise opening is made believable, even reasonable.
We have an already taciturn Michael and then alcohol is added. We sense the initial amusement of the other customers shift to embarrassment and shock. And realize that Susan has suffered these public humiliations previously and has finally reached the end of her tether.

I've now read four chapters and what shocks me as much as the sale of Susan, is of all the sensational things the frumenty seller remembers of her years being a vendor at the fair, this incident doesn't even register. A fellow woman & a child, being sold to a sailor, no less, with the reputation of sailors!

Surely she wasn't so naive as to not know how the sailor was likely to use Susan, and let's not forget the possibility of the sexual abuse of the child he also purchased, and yet her heart was unmoved.

This is my second read of the Mayor of Casterbridge. I cannot remember the first time I read it so it was due a reread. So far I am enjoying the book. Its easy to follow, and I enjoy his writing style.

This is my first time reading Hardy, and I didn't know what the book was about. My initial impression wasn't great but that changed quite fast, luckily!

I also thought, like Froggles, how strange it was that the frumenty seller didn't remember Susan being sold - but she could remember several quarrels and fights...

I read a Hardy novel when I was a teenager, a very long time ago, and have to do some research which one it was. I do remember I thought it was good but never had a desire to read more of his work. Now, after five chapters of The Mayor of Casterbridge, I'm happy to have joined this RAL. At this point, I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Camilla, it just goes to show how deep seated the misogyny is in this particular time and place that even the fate of the little girl was of no consequence.

This is the second Hardy novel I’m attempting. I read part of Tess of D’Ubervilles and I DNF’d it because it was too upsetting. I’m enjoying it so far, Hardy’s writing is really evocative. I’m reading along to the audio book (read by Anton Lesser) which is helping with some of dialect. Excited to read more!

Janice, I have the same sense of foreboding.

I'm waiting for the mayor's constituents to learn his history, and whether their censure will be reserved for him, or Susan.

Given the frumenty seller's disregard for Susan & her child, something tells me Susan is the one who will be cast as the unmoral deviant.

*immoral, not unmoral

This is my first read of the Mayor of Casterbridge. I was almost put off by the premise of the wife & child being sold by the husband but so far I have been pleasantly surprised.

I am really loving this so far and am more convinced that Hardy is a top author for me.

This is my 1st time reading this novel but I'm loving it. I have read Tess around 3 times over the yrs so far and love that too. I think I had a wrong preconception that MoC was a more high brow novel that I'd struggle to understand but so far I'm finding it to be fine.

This is my first time reading the Mayor of Casterbridge. I’ve wanted to ever since I visited the town that inspired Hardy.

So far, I’m loving his characteristic nature descriptions and the flow of the plot is great 👍🏻

Chapter 1
What an opening! I agree with everything said so far, love Susan's simple dignity and clearly she's been through this often enough. I wonder how the remainder of the evening was for her and her following day!

The quote that stood out the most for me here is "In contrast with the harshness of the act just ended within the tent was the sight of several horses crossing their necks and rubbing each other lovingly as they waited in patience to be harnessed for the homeward journey."

I like that contrast of the uncomplicated kindness of the natural world surrounding the tent, and the complexity and meanness & apathy of mankind as acted out in the tent.

Katja, that is a great analysis!

Chapter 2

How he initially blames his wife! Argh! So much for calling her simplicity idiotic...all the contradictory thoughts that cross his mind don't seem all that wise. I have to say the characterization is brilliant, I definitely can imagine the characters are real people.

The quote that stood out for me the most is "But first he resolved to register an oath, a greater oath than he had ever sworn before: and to do it properly he required a fit place and imagery; for there was something fetichistic in this man’s beliefs."

Froggles wrote: "I've now read four chapters and what shocks me as much as the sale of Susan, is of all the sensational things the frumenty seller remembers of her years being a vendor at the fair, this incident do..."

That struck me too that it was a distant memory for her but i think it shows how some people can be so caught up in themselves/ keep themselves apart.

This is my first Hardy. I am loving it!!!! I had attempted to read "Far From the Madding Crowd" a while back, but, I put it down because I didn't like the edition I was reading. I have since acquired a different one and look forward to reading it. I could become a Hardy fan!

Christopher wrote: "This is my first time reading any Hardy, and it's been a very promising start. From the Victober announcement videos, I knew about the wife-and-baby being sold at the opening of the book, and it ha..."

This is my first Hardy too! I am loving it. I am enjoying his writing style, his characterisation, and setting.

I read chapters 5 & 6 this morning. Hardy spins out the suspense well while telling the reader more about the characters.

I wasn't planning on joining this group read, but just listened to the first chapter on audiobook and could not stop until the 14th! This is my third Hardy, I have only read Jude (loved it, but never feel like re-reading it) and Far From the Madding Crowd, so I don't know what level of misery to expect from this one. Fingers crossed!

Lisa wrote: "I read chapters 5 & 6 this morning. Hardy spins out the suspense well while telling the reader more about the characters."

I love Hardy's writing style. I had only read a book of his poems prior to this. I am enjoying the book thus far, and this statement is spot on.

I'm about two and a half chapters in and have no strong emotions in either direction so calling this an improvement over my reading experience of Tess. The prose is lovely.

Mamatigerj wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I read chapters 5 & 6 this morning. Hardy spins out the suspense well while telling the reader more about the characters."

I love Hardy's writing style. I had only read a book of his ..."

Thank you!
It's odd reading only a couple of chapters at a time, but I'll keep to that schedule. I'm also reading The Ring and the Book, and I've read a few poems of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's.

One thing which struck me was how difficult it is for Susan to give the young mind of Elizabeth opportunities for enlargement, as "yet now, in her eighteenth year, it still remained but little unfolded".

I am enjoying the writing too - so beautiful and striking - "The lamplights now glimmered through the engirdling trees..."

Also a great sense of place - "The agricultural and pastoral character of the people upon whom the town depended for its existence was shown by the class of objects displayed in the shop windows. Scythes, reap-hooks, sheep-shears, ..."

Up to chapter 8. I appreciate characters being fleshed out in tiny ways, like how Elizabeth-Jane blushed as she went past Farfrae on the stairs, because what, to us, would be an entirely normal thing, to her carries some awkwardness with it, because of her mother's interest in the mayor, her current status as a sort-of-servant, and perhaps, even a little, her own developing feelings for him?

I loved the way Elizabeth Jane convinces herself that she and Farfrae have a similar outlook on life without actually speaking to him. Definitely some attraction there.

I've just finished chapter 12, loving this book so far. I've only read Tess by Hardy so far and loved it, even though it's so sad. His writing style agrees with me and I learned some new words, too. Never heard of furmity before. I knew I'd love this from the first chapter.
There's definite attraction on Elizabeth-Jane's side to Donald Farfrae. He still doesn't notice her at all, but I think something might happen between them in the future. I just hope Hardy doesn't go too hard on her as he did with Tess.

I've just started Chapter 9 and I love this quote from the opening:

"Casterbridge was the complement of the rural life around, not its urban opposite. Bees and butterflies in the cornfields at the top of the town, who desired to get to the meads at the bottom, took no circuitous course, but flew straight down High Street without any apparent consciousness that they were traversing strange latitudes. And in autumn airy spheres of thistledown floated into the same street, lodged upon the shop fronts, blew into drains, and innumerable tawny and yellow leaves skimmed along the pavement, and stole through people's doorways into their passages with a hesitating scratch on the floor, like the skirts of timid visitors."