Bleak House vs Jude the Obscure: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Illegitimate children, Open_syllabus_project, Social life and customs, History, Fiction
Bleak House
As the interminable case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce grinds its way through the Court of Chancery, it draws together a disparate group of people: Ada and Richard Clare, whose inheritance is gradually being devoured by…
1 film adaptation
vs
Jude the Obscure
Hardy's last work of fiction, Jude the Obscure is also one of his most gloomily fatalistic, depicting the lives of individuals who are trapped by forces beyond their control. Jude Fawley, a poor villager, wants to enter…
1 film adaptation
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Bleak House has the widest readership — 116581 ratings behind its score.
- Bleak House reaches further in scholarship and criticism — cited 107 times.
- Jude the Obscure runs the darker storyline; Bleak House stays the lighter read.
How to choose
New to the genre?
Jude the Obscure
Moderate vs Challenging for Bleak House
In the mood for something dark?
Jude the Obscure
a darker storyline than Bleak House
Want something lighter?
Bleak House
an easier tone than Jude the Obscure
Want the literary heavyweight?
Bleak House
cited 107 times vs 35 for Jude the Obscure
Scores by source
| Bleak House | Jude the Obscure | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.0 (116581) | 3.8 (77542) |
| Hardcover | 4.0 (133) | 4.0 (97) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (23) | 4.0 (141) |
Reception
| Bleak House | Jude the Obscure | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 116581 | 77542 |
| Editions | 418 | 425 |
| Citations | 107 | 35 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 166984 | 75907 |
| Reading it now | 10059 | 2971 |
| Written reviews | 6567 | 5092 |
| Wikipedia attention | 19680 | 9952 |
| Pages | 588 | 488 |