Lejos del mundanal ruido

***Desclaimer: if you think of Bathsheba as a feminist heroine, don't read this review***

Maybe, one of the female characters I hate the most in the literature history (the first spot goes to the ones from Weathering Heights...God, I hate them so much...all of them!). Getting back on the track...

She is spoiled, irresponsible, good-for-nothing, entitled, arrogant, flirt, useless woman with "not like other girls" syndrome.

She was sold as maybe the feminist female character. Strong, independent Bathsheba. She is nothing like it. She is a lazy useless woman who inhereted her rich uncle's wealth and just sits in her silk gown and wants other men to do all the work for her and get all the praise.

She hasn't earned ANYTHING!! She was given all the luxuries and was later babysit by a loyal hard-working man she refused because she was "too independent" to be a wife. I don't mind she deciding not to marry him because she didn't love him...I mean, you cannot pressure yourself into loving someone.

However, I do think that she is romantic...a stupid romantic. We all know those women in our lives: who think of themselves as "special" and are waiting their Prince charming (aka The Bad Boy) who takes them to "adventures"...and how her "Prince" took her on adventures!!!

Excuse me but if being "independent" means being stupid, arrogant and entitled, I don't want to be. She is proud, but why? What she has achieved in life? Spoiler alert: NOTHING!!!!! If she were born in today's times, she would be a rich spoiled daddy's girl who thinks she has been through a lot in life (poor girl!).

And of course, she would be an Instagram model. She is so obsessed with her looks. "Ay, this pretty face hasn't brought anything but problems to me ...". I feel so bad for her!!! What a difficult life hers is!! If she were an Instagram model, her favourite post would be "I am so ugly😞" with a perfectly planned and chosen selfie with the perfect angles and lighting (translation: I am pretty and I know it...just here to satisfy my vanity and to make you feel bad about yourself...and now, shut up and give me attention!!).

Have I said, she has "not like other girls" syndrome? How many times she has mentioned how she is too smart, too independent, too proud, too this, too that for her gender and how other women are just inferior with no life and ambitions. Ma'am, if sitting in a mansion which was gifted to you and bossing around on the expense on other hard-working men and obviously making bad decisions doesn't make you ambitious...rich, yes, but ONLY rich. She cannot even move a finger without the help of her men, especially, Gabriel.

Her level of vanity is clear, how and why she falls in love with Francis. Just because he told her she was the most beautiful, the prettiest...and she was head over toes in livet with him. And why she got married to him?: because apparently he found another prettier woman than her and she couldn't bear that🤦...this woman is full of arrogance and so little self-esteem (still so narcissist though).

Despite her superiority complex, she doesn't shy away from playing victim and the "woman card". She wants to be able to make bad decisions, but doesn't want to take the responsibility. Wants to be independent, doesn't want to face the consequences. Wants to refuse good men and chose a "bad boy", but also wants to keep the nice guy around...you know just in case, when her charming man stops exciting her anymore.

I hate her with all my heart because she is everything a responsible, ambitious honoured woman shouldn't be. Because she is a scam, like fake feminists who want to be "equals" saving the "woman card" when it suits them.

She was taught a good lesson and I do not even feel bad for her. She asked for it.

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Let's move to other topics/characters, she does NOT deserve the half of the limelight she is given:

Mr. Boldwood, cannot you get that no means no??!!! He gets on my nerves all the time. How annoying he is. At least, he is not presented as a "hero" as Bathsheba, who is equally detestable.

Gabriel is the only (among the main characters) likeable and honorable person.

(Mini spoiler alert in the next paragraph)

However, I would have preferred that he hadn't ended up with Bathsheba, just to give her a good lesson. He deserves so much better than that arrogant woman😤. Anyways, it was supposed to be a love-story I guess, so...

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If I have so many problems with the book, why I gave it five stars? You must be asking...hmmm...because I do not have problems with the book, but with putting Bathsheba on a pedestal as if she was an feminist idol. The ground-breaking independent woman. She is not!

I have problem with romanticization of romance and bad decisions. And pride and arrogance. And self-worship (beauty).

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend 100% if you don't mind the torture the main female character is.

It's a simple story and less complex than other books from the author. Would be a great introduction to the author