** spoiler alert ** 
 I truly believe that this is the greatest book ever written. There is nothing about this book that I can criticise - it has drama, romance, betrayal, violence, tragedy and every part of it lulls you in. What the truly great thing about the book is that all the characters are flawed - Tess, even as a great literary heroine is naive to a fault, almost to the point of stupidity at times. She's selfless to a fault and because of her inexperience she never truly fights for what she wants, and it's a trait that sometimes makes you want to shake her and tell her she's worth more, that she deserves happiness and that she's got to fight for it more, but her naivety is a trait that you find yourself accepting and wanting to protect her from. 
 She's a victim of circumstance, and whether you buy into her being raped or merely seduced by Alex, the undeniable fact is that she was taken advantage of. Alex is a character who comes in with the air of a stereotypical victim complete with the evocative language designed to show how worldly wise and sleazy he is compared to Tess' ignorance and innocence. He, in a lot of ways though is an honest villain - he does her wrong, attempts to attone before basically backing her into a corner in her weakest moments and looking after her and her family when the hero of the piece has left her abandoned. Make no mistakes though, Alex is never a guy you like, or fully trust and even when he's 'good' there is still the dangerous air about him and the way he plays on her doubts, insecurities and fears shows that even as a changed character, at the end of the day he is still just a predator. 
 Perhaps the most interesting character is Angel - the love interest and one more man who does her wrong. He meets and falls in love with her and pursues her relentlessly until she agrees to marry him and then, when she eventually agrees he casts her aside with such stunning hypocrisy that you want desperately to hate him for it. He admits that prior to their marriage that he had taken another lover and that confession leads to Tess confessing what happened in her own past and the scene where she's begging his forgiveness is heartbreaking. 
 Angel, deciding he can't be with Tess due to her 'sins' decides to separate for her until he can forgive her, and Tess, in her shame at hurting him agrees to every term he demands. Angel, after separating from her decides to go to Brazil but in his heartbreak he considers taking a mistress with him and propositions Tess' friend and it is only when she admits that Tess loves him more than she ever could he realises his folly, but it's a sign of the utter hypocrisy of the times. 
 The return of Angel, and the culmination of the Tess,Angel,Alex dynamic is heartbreaking. You want so badly for Angel and Tess to have their happily ever after, you want Tess to have good things happen for once in her life, but ultimately you know that it's not going to happen. I remember reading this for the first time as a kid and being shocked and heartbroken how it ended despite the clues throughout, and even after multiple re-readings and knowing how it ends, I still read it and get shocked and heartbroken because I will never stop wanting Tess and Angel to get away. There's something about tragedy and soulmates being wrenched asunder under such tragic circumstances after wasting so much time due to stupid things that will never not be relevant be it in 19th Century Wessex, or 21st century anywhere. 
 If you haven't read it, please do. It's an amazing book with amazing characters and everyone should read it at least once in their lives.