The Good Soldier vs The Return of the Native: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Adultery, Married people, Social life and customs, History
The Good Soldier
This is the saddest story I have ever heard. We had known the Ashburnhams for nine seasons of the town of Nauheim with an extreme intimacy - or, rather with an acquaintanceship as loose and easy and yet as close as a…
vs
The Return of the Native
The native of the title is Clym Yeobright, who returns to the area from the bright society of Paris and, as any reader of Hardy knows, all is not smooth. He is quickly taken by and marries the one woman he should…
The verdict
- Readers rate The Return of the Native highest: The Return of the Native 3.9 · The Good Soldier 3.7.
- The Return of the Native has the widest readership — 41183 ratings behind its score.
- The Return of the Native reaches further in scholarship and criticism — cited 52 times.
- The Return of the Native runs the darker storyline; The Good Soldier stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Scores by source
| The Good Soldier | The Return of the Native | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.7 (2553) | 3.9 (41183) |
| Hardcover | 3.3 (45) | 3.6 (45) |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (86) | 4.5 (123) |
Reception
| The Good Soldier | The Return of the Native | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 2553 | 41183 |
| Editions | 355 | 205 |
| Citations | 33 | 52 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 53121 | 38283 |
| Pages | 162 | 257 |