Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

"Far from the madding crowd" is the story of shepherd Gabriel Oaks and his love to the bewitching Bathsheba Everdene. While visiting relatives, Bathsheba meets their neighbour Gabriel. For him it is almost love at first sight and he offers for her within a week. Gabriel is an amiable young man, really down to earth he knows exactly what to wish for in life: he wants to change from shepherd to farmer, with an estate of his own, a suitable wife to build up a family. Gabriel is a hard working man, with enough confidence in his own strength. He gets his first set back, when Bathsheba, although flattered to have received her first proposal of marriage, rejects him. Shortly after fate turns against Gabriel: He loses all his sheep because of an untrained dog and must bury all hopes of ever becoming a farmer. But Gabriel does not despair - he leaves his home to look for work as a shepherd elsewhere. He finally finds new employment after estinguishing a fire in a farm building. The farm owner is nobody else but Bathsheba, who has recently inherited the estate after her uncle's death. Still secretly in love with Bathsheba, Gabriel must watch how she attracts other men. There is an elderly neighbouring farmer, as well as a dashing sergeant. Has Bathsheba matured enough by now to accept a man in marriage? Can she really make up her mind, who would suit her best? Is her choice a wise one, or may Gabriel still hope? Thomas Hardy gives an impressive description of pastoral life, creates amiable, forceful characters, main as well as minor, and succeeds in keeping the reader interested until the end. (This comment refers to another edition.)