Desperate Remedies (1871) was Thomas Hardy’s first published novel, following an earlier manuscript which failed to find a publisher and was later destroyed. I love Thomas Hardy’s books and have been looking forward to reading this one as it has been described as a sensation novel, a genre of Victorian fiction that I’ve enjoyed since I first discovered authors like Wilkie Collins, Mary Elizabeth Braddon and Ellen Wood, in the years before I started my blog.
At the beginning of the novel, we learn that our heroine, Cytherea Graye, was named after her father’s one true love, a woman who disappeared without explanation and left him heartbroken. Mr Graye later married and had two children – Cytherea and her brother Owen – whom he raised alone after his wife’s death. When Mr Graye himself dies, having made some poor business decisions in the final years of his life, Cytherea and Owen are faced with making their own way in the world. Owen decides to pursue a career as an architect, while his sister advertises for work as a governess.
Finding it harder to get a job than she had expected, Cytherea eventually accepts a position as lady’s maid to Miss Aldclyffe, a middle-aged unmarried woman who seems to be hiding a number of secrets. Why does she have so much affection for Cytherea, whom she has never met until now? Why does she go to such great lengths to employ the mysterious Aeneas Manston as steward on her estate – and why is she so keen to encourage Cytherea to marry him? Manston is another person with secrets and Cytherea is reluctant to marry someone she feels she can’t fully trust, especially as she has already fallen in love with Edward Springrove, her brother’s friend. Unfortunately, Edward is engaged to another woman – and when Cytherea’s financial situation becomes increasingly desperate, she finds herself drawn into Aeneas Manston’s schemes.
I loved Desperate Remedies! It starts off slowly, introducing Cytherea and her family background and explaining the circumstances that lead to her arrival at Miss Aldclyffe’s house, but it quickly develops into an intriguing and entertaining page-turner with plenty of twists and surprises. I liked Cytherea; there are stronger, more interesting heroines in some of Hardy’s later novels, but Cytherea is by no means a weak and helpless woman and I enjoyed following her story.
I did find two of the novel’s big secrets quite easy to guess, but there were still times when I wasn’t sure where the story was going and when the actions of one character or another left me mystified. The plot makes it feel quite similar to a Wilkie Collins novel, but there are still some elements which make it recognisable as a book written by Thomas Hardy, such as the descriptions of the landscape and the portrayal of a small rural community. This isn’t one of my absolute favourite Hardy novels – I think some of his later ones are better – but it’s still a great read.
The remaining novels I have left to read by Hardy are all books that I know nothing about: The Well-Beloved, Two on a Tower, A Laodicean, The Hand of Ethelberta and The Trumpet-Major. Does anyone have any recommendations from those five? I also haven’t read any of his short story collections, Wessex Tales, Life’s Little Ironies and A Group of Noble Dames, so I still have lots of Hardy to look forward to.
This is book 4/20 of my 20 Books of Summer and book 6/50 from my second Classics Club list.
She Reads Novels 
I enjoyed Two on a Tower and The Trumpet Major…
I think those are the two I’m probably leaning towards reading first.
Desperate Remedies is at the top of my Hardy reading list….even more so after having read your review. 🙂 I really enjoyed The Well-Beloved. Maybe because it’s about an artist. And I also liked Two on a Tower. I reviewed it on my blog a few years ago: http://larkwrites.blogspot.com/2016/06/celebrating-thomas-hardy.html
I’d recommend both of those Hardy novels. Happy reading!
I like the sound of Two on a Tower and I think that might be the one I read next. I will read them all eventually, though!
I’ve read this one twice, and rather enjoyed it. It’s a good old suspenseful page turner, typical of those novels written for serialisation. Hardy could tell a good tale.
Of those you have left (I’ve read them all more than once. The Trumpet Major was a favourite of mine, and I loved The Laodicean too especially because of the heroine and the novel’s nod toward the changing times with the coming of the telegraph etc. Happy reading, I adore Hardy.
I’m pleased to hear you enjoyed The Trumpet Major and The Laodicean. It sounds as though I still have a lot to look forward to. 🙂
I reread this quite recently and loved it. The sensation novel may not have been his natural home but the writing and the storytelling were wonderful and I was completely drawn in.
I remember reading your review and thinking that this sounded like my sort of book – and it was. 🙂
I really enjoyed this, it was amusing in a way to see him doing this before settling in to his normal style, but the Hardyesque bits seeping through.
I read The Trumpet-Major for the first time when doing Ali’s read-along a few years back and really loved it. There are reviews of all the books on my blog if you have a search. Two on a Tower is also good, and I like the short stories a lot.
It’s quite different from his other books, but I really enjoyed it and I’m glad you did too. I do like the sound of The Trumpet-Major and Two on a Tower, so I think I’ll be reading one of those two next.
I remember that I loved Two on a Tower, but it’s probably about thirty years since I read it.
Two on a Tower seems to be getting a lot of recommendations. I’m looking forward to reading that one.
Though it is quite outside the realm of My Big Fat Reading Project, your review made me want to read Desperate Remedies plus the rest of the Thomas Hardy novels I haven’t read yet. Well, when it comes to reading lists there is always room for at least one more!
I hope you can find a way to squeeze this book onto one of your lists, Judy. I think Hardy is always worth reading. 🙂
I know I’ve read this one but so long ago that your description isn’t ringing any bells. Of the others you mentioned, I read all but two but can’t remember them well enough to recommend one.
I would like to read all of Hardy’s books eventually, including the short stories. I’ve liked everything I’ve read by him so far.
Argh! I had hoped I could limit myself to just six Hardy’s and feel that was enough but I think I will have to read this one too!
I love Hardy’s books so I don’t think you can ever read too many! I hope you can find time for a seventh – this is a good one. 🙂
I’m about halfway through Jude the Obscure (mostly on audio) and I’m pretty sure Desperate Remedies will be my next Hardy, I do love a good Victorian sensation novel! Unfortunately I haven’t read any of the others that you mention but I look forward to reading your thoughts. I’ve discovered that I really like Hardy and may even re-read Tess of the D’Urbervilles someday and give it another chance. I think I have grown into his works and can really appreciate them now.
I’ll be interested to know what you think of Jude the Obscure when you finish listening to it. That was one of the first Hardy novels I read and I found it a bit too bleak to be a favourite, but I did like it. The other books I still have left to read are lesser known ones but I’m still looking forward to reading them all.
I’ve not read these Hardy novels, but will add them to my list. I enjoy Hardy, but I need to be in the right reading mood.
I love Hardy, but I agree that you need to be in the right mood for his books.
Reblogged this on Tasmanian Bibliophile @Large and commented:
Thomas Hardy, anyone?
I’ve downloaded this on to my kindle now, I love Hardy anyway and adore a good Victorian sensation novel! Can’t wait to read, thanks for bringing it to my attention.
I hope you like it! I don’t think the sensation novel was Hardy’s natural genre, but this is still an entertaining read.