Book review - The Mayor of Casterbridge - Great tragic novel    Probably the best tragic novel ever. Though, it can be classified as a high school read, it is interesting for adult readers as well. The many unexpected twists and turns makes it as exciting as some books that are actually in the suspense genre and some of the incidents are very controversial for the 19th century time-line. This has everything, jealousy, success, rags to riches, riches to rags, romance, tragedy, suspense. It is a good introduction to Thomas Hardy and the rustic British novels, if you haven't read before.