OMG same. I had to read Jude the Obscure for college and I despised it. Normally I love most of the classics but Jude is just melodramatic schlock. I’m convinced that the only reason it was popular in its day is because soap operas didn’t exist yet.

“Because we are too menny” - I literally laugh about this line because it’s so absurd. Like, had Hardy never met an actual child?

It really is, but it’s completely worth the journey! Come on over to r/ThomasPynchon if you have any questions! The Weisenburger companion is a great help, as are the posts from the group read we did a while back on that sub. But don’t try too hard to understand it the first time - if you get 10% of it, you’re doing great.