Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles - dd is loving it on tv is there a child's version of the book?

25 replies

twinsetandpearls · 28/09/2008 21:17

As she keeps asking if I can read her the book but am asusming the charm will wear off if I get out the original Hardy. She is 7.

OP posts:
islandofsodor · 28/09/2008 21:26

I wouldn't have thought it was suitable reading for a 7 year old to be honest. I have to admit I have never read it though I did read Jude for A level but isn't one of the themes rape and murder.

LurkerOfTheUniverse · 28/09/2008 21:29

i don't think it's suitable viewing for a 7 yr old either

morocco · 28/09/2008 21:29

good grief - do you really let her watch it twinset? it's enough to get me crying just watching the happy bits (am v soppy and always aware of the ending)

Bink · 28/09/2008 21:32

Seriously seriously?
15 year old falls asleep & is guilty of death of family horse (& crux of income); is sent off to earn a bit & is "seduced" (rape in all but name) & made pregnant by vile advantage-taker; has fragile baby which dies as a newborn, after an amateur christening which names him "Sorrow"; tries to find herself another life, which involves suppressing this whole tragedy (inc. half-farce of the letter slid under the door which goes under the doormat); is found out by new husband who cannot cope with her reality; is sent mad by rejection & goes off to kill initial advantage-taker; Stonehenge dénouement etc. etc.

Just play her Verklarte Nacht instead. It has sort of the same back-story, and a Lovely Happy Ending. It's the antithesis of that horrid Angel Clare.

hellymelly · 28/09/2008 21:36

I'm with Bink on this one-under age girl is raped, gets pregnant,baby born,baby dies,falls in love,tells husband,husband legs it,gives up and in extreme poverty and despair prostitutes herself off to the rapist,kills him and gets hanged.Loads of great stuff for a book for wee girls there!

twinsetandpearls · 28/09/2008 21:48

She has been watching it on replay with dp who watches it first. AS it was repeated at tea time I assumed it was OK. I don;t know the story tbh, dp said he lets her watch it on replayso if necessary he can edit it.

Thanks for the recomendation Bink.

Once again I realise I am actually quite a crap mother even whenI think I am doing well.

OP posts:
twinsetandpearls · 28/09/2008 21:48

Has anything unpleasant happened yet in the BBC adaptation?

OP posts:
LurkerOfTheUniverse · 28/09/2008 21:51

i doubt very much that you are a crap mother

but there was a rape scene, lots of sexual undertones

i'm surprised a 7 yr old is even interested, tbh

islandofsodor · 28/09/2008 21:52

I've not seen the BBC adaptation. I think there is a bit of a tendancy to assume that a classic Sunday Night costume drama is child friendly. If you have never read the book you wouldn't know.

twinsetandpearls · 28/09/2008 21:55

Perhaps not crap but just a bit useless!

She was fascinated this afternoon, she caught the re run and asked to watch it so dp let her watch it on replay.

She even said to me when we were baking " I really like Tess Mummy"

She has never seen something on TV and asked to read the book and as we are having some problems with getting motivated with her school books I thought I could read her a simplified version of this. Maybe I will make something up.

Has the rape scene been on TV, I will check with dp if dd has seen this. Maybe it went above her head.

OP posts:
ahundredtimes · 28/09/2008 21:57

Oh you are not a crap mother Twinset. The rape scene was all quite misty - nothing to traumatize. She probably didn't understand what was happening.

I expect she likes the costumes and watching it with dh.

Don't panic.

But doubt there is a children's version of the book.

twinsetandpearls · 28/09/2008 21:57

Yesa I thought it was like a Jane Austen type affair, she does like anything historical. I am clearly not a crap mother but just a cultural heathen.

I am a bit at this being on before the watershed. But it is not up to the BBC to control my child's viewing, I do need to take more responsibility.

OP posts:
PortAndLemon · 28/09/2008 21:57

Could well have gone above her head. Can you talk to her about what it is she likes about Tess? Clever Mumsnetters might be able to suggest something else that ticked the right boxes.

KatyMac · 28/09/2008 21:58

My DD is desperate to watch it - but I said no

She has however watched the lost in austin thing - which she has loved

It is so hard to decide what is suitable - I don't think Tess (this adaptation) is too bad - just that one scene

But I also struggled with Mamma Mia - is it acceptable

She thought the diary scene with dot, dot, dot very naughty

LurkerOfTheUniverse · 28/09/2008 21:58

we all are sometimes

twinsetandpearls · 28/09/2008 21:58

I will ask an a level student to write a non rape version

OP posts:
LurkerOfTheUniverse · 28/09/2008 21:59

well, Tess is very pretty and quite captivating to watch, imo

twinsetandpearls · 28/09/2008 22:00

Yes we took dd to see Mamma Mia and there were a few moments when I wondered if I had made a mistake.

I will ask her what she likes, I don't know the book but dd likes to see herself as a bit of a rebel and tends to like charactars in films or books that are rebels. Could that be it.

OP posts:
Bink · 28/09/2008 22:00

If it's a faithful adaptation she wouldn't realise the rape is a rape (which is partly the horror of it, actually). All the staff who work at a particular big house have been to a party & are walking back ... the son of the house (the advantage-taker) has either been at the party to, or comes across the group, and sort of separates Tess from the rest. Then there is a scene where the two of them sink into some bracken, or similar. It's very ... "The rest is silence."

So, in fact, it utterly exactly captures the awfulness of certain kinds of date rape. It's brilliantly done, with all the ambivalence & self-directed guilt & everything. A 7yo just wouldn't see the layers at all. (Even a 15yo doesn't, really.)

twinsetandpearls · 28/09/2008 22:01

I will borrow a copy of the book from school to read myself.

OP posts:
Tidgypuds · 28/09/2008 22:03

Argh! I didnt know there was going to be a spoiler in this thread...I havent read the book and didnt know what happens. Really now. Why did I click.

twinsetandpearls · 28/09/2008 22:15

sorry tidgypuds.

OP posts:
Bink · 28/09/2008 22:17

There is a solecism in my post*the son of the house has "either been at the party too" (and not, in any universe, to)I have also done spoilers Without Thinking*I am getting my cape

edam · 28/09/2008 22:26

I wouldn't feel guilty about giving away the plot of a story that has been in print for 117 years, Bink!

Tidgypuds · 29/09/2008 16:52

No dont feel bad, no worries at least now I wont be sorely disappointed at the last episode, that it doesnt all come good for her. I love a happy ending.

I have really enjoyed this adaptation.
In print for 117 years and still there will be a great deal of people that haven't read it.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page