Welcome to Wessex. In this novella, you'll get a remarkably realistic story with a heart that still resonates today. Compared to Hardy's other works, it's tragedy and drama lite, but I think that's what makes it so memorable. It's not as dramatic or soul-crushing as Tess of the D'Urbervilles; yet, you definitely don't leave the book feeling nothing.

When you read the introduction to this novella, you learn that Hardy really wanted to write a story about a hamlet that was modernizing and leaving some of its inhabitants behind. For sure, the loss of the choir is sorely felt, but this is because of the "love" story that truly binds the whole tale together.

Dick and Fancy are two people who grew up in the hamlet of Mellstock, and they fall in love. They spend a lot more time getting acquainted in the book than the corresponding movie implies, but don't expect a great match like in Pride and Prejudice. These are simple, country folk, where Fancy represents a new era while Dick shows more reluctant progress, and in some cases, shows complete aversion to change. This is evident in the scene where he goes to a funeral instead of church on the day of Fancy's first performance.

Despite their differences, their love triumphs, which perhaps is to say change will always triumph over stagnation and the past, since Fancy is the main driver of the romance here. Of course, their love isn't without its secrets, which I won't give away here, but it's Hardy's way of reminding his readers that he isn't Jane Austen. His characters' love isn't pure, and things aren't as perfect as they seem. Since I like a little tragedy, I thought this was well worth the read. ( )

Under the Greenwood Tree" is the story of the romantic entanglement between church musician, Dick Dewey, and the attractive new school mistress, Fancy Day. A pleasant romantic tale set in the Victorian era, "Under the Greenwood Tree" is one of Thomas Hardy's most gentle and pastoral novels.

Second book to be read in the local "Hardy Readers" bookgroup after Desperate Remedies.

This is a shorter, lighter book that is also easier to read that Desperate Remedies. It is about a small local community, and the story starts with description of the "choir" (singers and musicians) who are going round the houses (often isolated) one Christmas night. They briefly glimpse sight of the new school teacher - Miss Day - who becomes the centre of attention.

She and Dick Dewy fall in love, but their engagement faces obstacles from both her father and the fact that other men are vying for her hand. As a subplot the choir, who also accompany the mass, find that they will be ousted, to be replaced by a new organ, which the vicar has decided will be played by Miss Day, even though she has stated that she doesnt want to..

It is a much happier book than DR, has a more continuous flow in the narrative (although being split into 4 "seasons"). As I was not struggling with the narrative on this one, I was able to pay better attention to Hardy's descriptions of nature, and it was much more pleasing. ( )

An uncharacteristically happy ending for Hardy. Or is it? Fancy disappoints compared to so many of Hardy's all-too-human women, but she comes off almost as one of such in training. ( )

When I started reading this book I was somewhat annoyed at the plethora of similes. I thought that Hardy might have been a bit like Ruskin who I believed to be very pleased with himself to the detriment of his storytelling. But, the book turned into a delightful story of a year in the lives of English country folk. It is centered around two young people who end up married and partying with their friends and family "Under the Greenwood Tree".
A most enjoyable story. ( )

Fancy Day was the OG manic pixie dream girl ( )

No deaths! Quite a simple but charming tale. ( )

Lovely look at another time. I was surprised, it just flew by. Very engaging, lots of laughs. ( )

Under the Greenwood Tree was the first of Hardy's Wessex novels, and his first commercially successful novel after his first novel Desperate Remedies flopped. First published in 1872, in the 20 years subsequent he updated the book several times when it was republished by different houses, mainly to bring it more in keeping with the topography and social networks of his subsequent and more popular Wessex novels. This Penguin edition was the original text (save for corrections of spelling and punctuation), and I appreciated reading it in its original intended form without the later polishing.

It's easy to spot this as an early Hardy novel; it bears none of his later hallmarks of tragedy or the country descriptions that envelop you so completely in novels such as Tess of the d'Urbervilles or The Return of the Native. I missed the prickle of the furze and the squelch of the turf which transport you back to a bygone era in his other novels. Moreover, I heartily missed the usual Hardy tragedy that cuts you like a knife.

Under the Greenwood Tree is a gentle pastoral novel that focuses on the day-to-day lives of regular country inhabitants. The plot typifies the inconsequential happenings in a rural parish - a new, attractive schoolmistress puts the noses of the men of the church quire out of joint as the entranced vicar allows the equally enchanted church warden to persuade him that the new schoolmistress should now lead the church music on the organ. Meanwhile, the tranter's son has also fallen head over heels for her charms, but can he win his heart given his lowly social position in comparison with the wealth of the churchwarden or vicar?

It's the shortest of Hardy's Wessex novels, and gratifyingly so as it meanders and weaves with no real plot surprises. Compared to his other Wessex novels it disappoints, but there's enough there to while away a few enjoyable hours on a rainy day.

3 stars - interesting enough, but I'm afraid Hardy has set the bar too high in his later novels for this to warrant much attention. ( )

Who knew Hardy could write romcoms? As expected, the setting is rural England, the local dialect is thick, and the performance of this audio title is perfectly delightful as delivered by actor, Robert Hardy of All Creatures Great and Small TV fame, no relation.

But because of the thickness of the characters' dialectical speech, listening to the novel for long periods was difficult for me. Intense attention is needed to tune to the farmers' and tradesmens' speech. Then it has to be "translated" into modern American English in order to understand dialogues and the jokes of the humorous personalities as they deliver their lines, as it were.

Fortunately, this is a simple tale of a village boy and a maiden schoolmarm that has the usual tropes of wholesome love stories set in the 19th C. Everyone in the book is likeable, even the hero's rival is a bit of all right, to use the vernacular. Hardy portrays male and female characters with sympathy and affection. And his descritions of the countryside are drawn from true love. While he creates laughable personalities, he does not laugh at them himself. He writes with true warmth and delight about the lives, tribulations, and quirks of villagers with whom we get to spend a year in their community that revolves around their church and choir, which, to the all-male singers, is about to be replaced by a pretty organist, if our rival's intentions come to fruition. Counter operations are plotted by well-lubricated minds.

Oh, the conflict, the spats, and the headaches from too much drinking!

If you find other Hardy novels heavy going, don't dismiss him as unreadable until you give yourself the joyful experience of reading this charming rural romance. ( )

Gaffers and gamers gather around The Greenwood Tree to consider their musical fate, to ponder the past,
and to mull over both the present and the future.

Characters are lightly presented, with none that may draw readers close as in Thomas Hardy's other novels.
His usual compelling depictions of landscape and place are similarly missing.

No reason is ever given to resolve why the church could not have BOTH an organist and a choir. ( )

This is considered Hardy's most gentle novel. The story of a poor boy and the school mistress he loves, Hardy does weave in questions about the conventional wisdom of honesty and the nature of romantic love. While the book ends (you knew it would) with a happy wedding, the questions about how well courting couples really know each other linger in the reader's mind, as Hardy is careful not to resolve every question raised. ( )

Not as gloomy as his later novels ( )

Read during Spring 2006

I really enjoyed the recent adaption on Masterpiece Theatre but I suspected that they took a few liberties with the original. That, combined with forgetting a book for a long rehersal night (ACK!), lead me to a quick purchase and read. Although the overall plot was in the adaption, it was not really the same as the novel. I enjoyed reading this a great deal, and I can't recal smiling at all reading any other Hardy. Fancy is a bit of a flirt and Dick a bit bespotted with her but the other suitors don't make as big an impression and only in the rainy dreariness of Parson Maybold's proposal is there really any temptation. Farmer Shiner also comes out as far more likable in the adaption, he barely gets a chance to speak his own words in the novel. Really, it is the love story of Fancy and Dick, and the end of the Mellstock Quire, which dominates. A very satisfying read.

Having visited Thomas Hardy;s Cottage and Max Gate, it was time to read some Hardy. Originally published in 1872, it's a gentle story of Dorset, with some humorous moments. Enjoyed it. ( )

This is much softer than his other more well known novels. ( )

I really loved this slim book. Hardy is a fantastic writer. Considering this was only his second published novel and his big hits are yet to come it might have been expected that this book would be lightweight. But it's not.

The story is classic. Boy sees lovely girl and immediately falls in love. Girl pretends she doesn't see him but he persists and she admits she loves him. Father refuses the match because boy isn't rich or well-educated. Girl goes into a decline and father relents. A wedding date is set. Then a well-educated man proposes to girl and she is tempted but she realizes she can't do that to boy and she refuses him. Boy and girl get married but girl keeps secret of the proposal. They ride off into the sunset together.

I could see this as a western or a modern romance; that's how classic this story is. What makes it unique is Hardy's descriptive prose. His portrayal of the windy, rainy day when Fancy is walking home from her fathers leapt off the page and I could see the tree boughs whipping around every which way. He also has great characters although the main characters aren't as interesting as the secondary ones like the tranter and the "witch". ( )

Kindle. Read for Ali's Hardy Reading Project.

I enjoyed his second novel greatly, in which sly Fancy sets the men of various levels of village society against each other; an improvement on his last melodramatic outing, although I felt it was a bit slight and quick to read (hard to tell on a Kindle, though!). Lovely countryside descriptions, although not as intimately woven into the plot as they will be. I'm really enjoying seeing the development and progress of his writing, reading them in order like this! ( )

C- Hardy's done better. ( )

Under the Greenwood Tree, published in 1872, is the first Thomas Hardy book I’ve read. I’ve been informed that this book is Hardy-Lite, that his later books are much more serious and well written. But I thoroughly enjoyed this short novel and was pleasantly surprised by the humor and, even with plenty of dialect in the dialogue, the easy readability.

There are two stories going on in the novel. The first involves the Mellstock Quire – a group of men who have been the church musicians for ages, singing and playing (stringed instruments ONLY: Strings alone would have held their ground against all the new comers in creation…clarinets was death…sinners…miserable dumbledores! - Page 31) The men suddenly find themselves deposed by an organist – a beautiful young woman, Fancy Day, who steals not only their coveted musical role but also the hearts of several men in the village, among them Dick Dewey.

Which leads to the second story – the courtship between Dick and Fancy. There are the usual problems of class and gender differences, miscommunications, secrets, jealousy and lack of trust between the two lovers. And they must abide by the Victorian mores, hiding their relationship and sneaking kisses.

With much humor and irony, Hardy explores the gender disparity. My favorite scene involves Dick waiting for Fancy while she has a dress altered. It’s a rare half day off work, and he wants to go nutting with Fancy (harvesting nuts in the woods). He’s a good sport while he waits – at first - then Hardy evokes the epitome of boredom and restlessness:

Still the snipping and sewing went on. The clock struck four. Dick fidgeted about, yawned, privately, counted the knots in the table, yawned publicly, counted the flies on the ceiling, yawned horribly, went into the kitchen and scullery and so thoroughly studied the principle upon which the pump was constructed that he could have delivered a lecture on the subject…the clock struck five, and still the snipping and sewing went on.

Dick attempted to kill a fly, peeled all the rind off his walking-stick…produced hideous discords from the harmonium, and accidentally overturned a vase of flowers, the water from which ran in a rill across the table and dribbled to the floor where it formed a lake, the shape of which after the lapse of a few minutes he began to modify considerably with his foot till it was like a map of England and Wales. (page 140)

It’s a fun, sweet story, not great literature, but a pleasure to read. One complaint I have about the novel is that Hardy dropped the story about the choir almost completely after the romance began to bloom. I so enjoyed the sparring and teasing of the choir members among themselves that I wanted more. But I will forgive him this gaffe and recommend this book. (4/5) ( )

A perfect bed at 10pm read. This novel showed a new side of Hardy to me. Having previously read 'The Mayor of Castorbridge' 'Far from the Madding Crowd', this novel surprised me... TBC

This is an early Hardy and it shows - there was a happy ending. The book has two plots running through it. Firstly, there is the Mellstock choir with their accompanying string section (none of those new fangled clarinets for our rustics) and their phasing out to allow for a church organ at Sunday services. This section was quite humerous with lots of quirky, though undeveloped characters. The second plot involved Fancy Day who is "fancied" by several of the locals. She is a terrible flirt, overly concerned with her appearance and pleased with her ability to attract male attention. Ultimately, our hero wins his Fancy and triumphs over the constraints of British social class. As I said, not your typical Hardy novel. Lots of lovely details about country living. ( )

Also a trip into a way of life of the late eighteenth century, that has disappeared. ( )

A charming novel set in the Yorkshire countryside, devoid of the usual darkness typical of other Hardy novels, such as Jude the Obscure, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Far from the Madding Crowd, and others. As always, his characters are well rounded, displaying very human flaws that make them all the more endearing. Fancy Day, despite her love for Dick Dewey, can't resist flattery and a chance to show herself off; Dick himself has a bit of a jealous streak. But overall, Hardy creates that wonderful sense of community and slower-paced days that we seem to long for in our times. ( )

I wouldn't say it was a bad book; it was wonderfully written. However, I've seen Hardy do much better. So do not read this as your first taste of Hardy, but rather as a book that shows his novel-writing development. ( )

I read this in one evening. It's a short little novel set in a rural English village, published in 1872. As other reviewers have noted, it is divided into five sections, one for each season and a conclusion.

The story starts with the members of the Mellstock quire (or choir, in the newer spelling). They are a group of uneducated workingmen who devote themselves to a musical performance every Sunday for church, and door-to-door caroling at Christmas. Their long-held tradition is about to be overturned by the new vicar, who wants the new schoolteacher, a Miss Fancy Day, to replace them by playing the organ for service. Fancy is young and very attractive, and young Richard Dewy, one of the quire, finds himself in compeition for Fancy's good graces. She, however, is a bit of a coquette, and her little escapades cause problems when she and Dick are engaged.

The back of my copy claims that this is one of Hardy's more popular novels, but I'm not sure why. There really isn't much plot, and the interesting members of the quire quickly recede into the background when the relationship between Dick and Fancy picks up. I found that a lot less interesting than the quire. Dick was hard to like because he was so foolish in love, and while Miss Fancy was probably a very realistic picture of a shallow, flirtatious girl, I spent most of the story wishing I could smack her. And there's really no one else to like. The simpleton Thomas Leaf was fun, but wasn't in the story enough.

I did appreciate the subtle humor here and there. The poor shoemaker was so short, and his wife never would let him forget it. There were also some lovely descriptions; after Fancy leaves the Christmas party, Dick sees her empty place as "a setting with the gem torn out." I could just see the empty chair and the used dishes at her place.

One thing I found interesting was Hardy's constant awareness of where his characters were looking. He mentions the direction of their gaze in almost every physical description he gives. I wonder why that is? It's rather interesting to think of the author directing our eyes to the direction of his characters' eyes...

Overall, I'm not sure I would read this again. It's been awhile since I've read anything else by Hardy, but I have much fonder memories of his other works like The Mayor of Casterbridge. Still, it kept my interest enough to finish it. Perhaps I was hoping as I read that the quire would trudge back over to my window and push Fancy and Dick out of the way. ( )