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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I liked “We the Living” by Ayn Rand, and I think other readers might like it too. Thus, my rating was only 3 stars. However, this novel was and remains for me a ‘must-read’ and I would highly recommend it to fans of Rand’s other books.
I’ve read Rand out of order, starting with 1957’s “Atlas Shrugged” (her Magnum Opus), then 1943’s “The Fountainhead” (her first major success as a writer), and only now have gotten to 1936’s “We the Living” (her first published novel). So being so familiar with Rand, I was not surprised by the novel’s style or message. In some sense once you’ve read a little Rand, you’ve read it all. I describe her as a one-tick-pony writing about individualism, objectivism, and the struggle for freedom over oppression.
“We the Living” is set in Soviet Russia after the 1917 Revolution. The novel concludes in 1925. The main character is the daughter of a former factory owner whose family is trying to figure out how to live after being stripped of all their assets and social standing. But like many of Rand’s other characters, this one is hell-bent on pursuing her own goals and passions, against the flow of everyone else.
Rand was born in Russia and was 12 years old at the time of the 1917 revolution. For a time, she did live and study in a similar fashion to the characters of the novel, so this is her most autobiographical work (though she clearly said this is not a novelized memoir, and all the characters and events are made up).
Rand made it to the U.S. by 1926 and made her writing career in America.
The best things about this novel are (1.) it seems historical and believable. Unlike Fountainhead and Atlas that seem old-timey (because they’re more than 60 years old now) but also dystopian (because things are going so wrong for the country) “We the Living” is set in a time and place where the events described could have actually occurred. No mind-bending required about new technologies or government takeovers.
(2.) There are fewer monologues. There are whole chapters in Atlas that feature one voice going on and on about the philosophy. Enjoyable for readers of “We the Living”, is that these sorts of sermons rarely take up more than one page and are part of more normal conversation.
(3.) More appropriate for younger readers. “We the Living” certainly deals with sex, but the act is always implied or between the lines. There are no explicit passages as found in Fountainhead and Atlas.
(4.) Quicker read. “We the Living” is relatively short compared to Rand’s other novels.
“We the Living” has parts that are certainly exciting. And the end does not disappoint. But there are no gripping passages like a couple found in Atlas.
What I will remember most from this novel is the descriptions of how the people lived. How terrible the conditions were. Waiting in lines... ration cards... lack of nutrition (if not actual starvation)... no life of your own... your entire family living in a 2-room apartment. Every time I went to the grocery store, over the course of reading this book, I would just take a moment and be amazed about the thousands of choices of excellent products I could buy... compared to every character in the novel scrounging for whatever measly, rotten, scraps she could get her hands on.
To get some idea of that sort of situation, I recommend the first 1/3 of the 1984 movie, “Moscow on the Hudson” starring Robin Williams.
I’ve read Rand out of order, starting with 1957’s “Atlas Shrugged” (her Magnum Opus), then 1943’s “The Fountainhead” (her first major success as a writer), and only now have gotten to 1936’s “We the Living” (her first published novel). So being so familiar with Rand, I was not surprised by the novel’s style or message. In some sense once you’ve read a little Rand, you’ve read it all. I describe her as a one-tick-pony writing about individualism, objectivism, and the struggle for freedom over oppression.
“We the Living” is set in Soviet Russia after the 1917 Revolution. The novel concludes in 1925. The main character is the daughter of a former factory owner whose family is trying to figure out how to live after being stripped of all their assets and social standing. But like many of Rand’s other characters, this one is hell-bent on pursuing her own goals and passions, against the flow of everyone else.
Rand was born in Russia and was 12 years old at the time of the 1917 revolution. For a time, she did live and study in a similar fashion to the characters of the novel, so this is her most autobiographical work (though she clearly said this is not a novelized memoir, and all the characters and events are made up).
Rand made it to the U.S. by 1926 and made her writing career in America.
The best things about this novel are (1.) it seems historical and believable. Unlike Fountainhead and Atlas that seem old-timey (because they’re more than 60 years old now) but also dystopian (because things are going so wrong for the country) “We the Living” is set in a time and place where the events described could have actually occurred. No mind-bending required about new technologies or government takeovers.
(2.) There are fewer monologues. There are whole chapters in Atlas that feature one voice going on and on about the philosophy. Enjoyable for readers of “We the Living”, is that these sorts of sermons rarely take up more than one page and are part of more normal conversation.
(3.) More appropriate for younger readers. “We the Living” certainly deals with sex, but the act is always implied or between the lines. There are no explicit passages as found in Fountainhead and Atlas.
(4.) Quicker read. “We the Living” is relatively short compared to Rand’s other novels.
“We the Living” has parts that are certainly exciting. And the end does not disappoint. But there are no gripping passages like a couple found in Atlas.
What I will remember most from this novel is the descriptions of how the people lived. How terrible the conditions were. Waiting in lines... ration cards... lack of nutrition (if not actual starvation)... no life of your own... your entire family living in a 2-room apartment. Every time I went to the grocery store, over the course of reading this book, I would just take a moment and be amazed about the thousands of choices of excellent products I could buy... compared to every character in the novel scrounging for whatever measly, rotten, scraps she could get her hands on.
To get some idea of that sort of situation, I recommend the first 1/3 of the 1984 movie, “Moscow on the Hudson” starring Robin Williams.
At first I didn't really like it. I hated most of the characters because of the stupid things they had done, or the bad ones. I was in love with Andrei by the time he killed himself and the reason he did it. I loved Leo...until he became a total douchebag. But then i still wanted him to end up with Kira. And in the end, my heart was completely torn apart. Especially that one last sentence, broke my heart in a million pieces. I kind of hate it but i really love it. I just love to hate it and hate to love it. Maybe someday i'll read it again.
Update:
I have read it again.
This book wrecked my heart all over again and I thank it for doing that.
It's officially one of my all time favorite books. It punches you and you're glad it does. The story is simply amazing, always keeping you on your toes.
Just A M A Z I N G!
Update:
I have read it again.
This book wrecked my heart all over again and I thank it for doing that.
It's officially one of my all time favorite books. It punches you and you're glad it does. The story is simply amazing, always keeping you on your toes.
Just A M A Z I N G!
Set at the time of Russian revolution, this books explores both beautifully and painfully the journey of a young girl, a rebel of sorts, who is betrayed by the society, her friends, family, and finally her love. Woven with a dark undertone, it gives a glimpse into the lives of common people during a revolution.
A very informative book, I must say. A bit disturbing too. I liked it because of the fact that the author has made sure that no gruesome or painful part is left out. To a person who wants to learn more about Communism, this is the best bet. Although, it is from the bourgeois perspective. I would call it a story of survival. The book, pretty much anti-communist, is about the life of people in Russia immediately after the Bolshevik Revolution. It is a story of people who strive to live. Hence, the title. Kira Argounova's character is a very complex one. An ex-bourgeois living in Revolutionized Russia, her part is justified. The love triangle between the three protagonists is another piece in the puzzle. A great book to read!
A masterpiece. My second reading and it’s still my favorite. Tragic.
Είναι σαφώς page-turner, ασχέτως που τελευταία γυρνάω τις σελίδες πολύ αργά (it's not you, Ayn Rand, it's me). Κατά τα λοιπά, δεν μπορώ να πω ότι εντυπωσιάστηκα. Συμπαθητική ιστορία, πολύ μέτρια η απόδοση. Θα του έβαζα ένα τίμιο 6/10 νομίζω.
mwah, verhaal komt niet goed op gang, en hoofdpersonen niet sympathiek. Tja.
A great ending elevates a stodgy and repetitive middle section. Also couldn't help but shake the feeling that Leo and Kira weren't the most intriguing of characters. Andrei's moral dilemma and his awareness of the corruption and the tyranny that engulfs his party is a more compelling subplot. Nonetheless, it sometimes works as a powerful commentary on a system that has no interest in people like them.
Possible spoiler alert.
This is Rand's most novel-esque novel; rarely does it read like a sermon, unlike the rest of her books. The characters' struggles change them, much more so than her other heroes, and the story centers around an actual character rather than a group of characters. Kira Argounova is a citizen of recently-communist Russia, where she attends the Technological Institute, studying architecture. There she meets Andrei, who has a mind as sharp and focused as hers, but he truly believes in the power of the communist philosophy to make every man a fulfilled man. Her family doesn't understand her, because she's always been wild and indifferent to the feelings of others; they believe she feels nothing herself. She meets a man named Leo on a street corner. They fall in love and attempt to escape, but are forced instead to make their living quietly in Russia as conditions worsen for independent minds such as theirs. I find the romance interesting and a little odd, because while I've been able to understand and feel for all of Rand's characters, even the bad guys, I don't have any sense of who Leo outside of his relationship with Kira. They are utterly in love, apparently, and when he gets sick - both mentally and physically, and both due to the loss of independence under communist rule - Kira desperately tries to make him better. Her family is poor, and many of them are sick, so she can't get the money she needs to send Leo to a sanatorium. So in traditional Randian fashion, she sleeps with Andrei, who as a respected Comrade is well-off, and offers her money that, unbeknownst to him, pays for Leo's care. So many of the characters disintegrate and are worn down, and it's hard not to feel bitter at the world by the end of the novel. The prose is beautiful, though, especially when Rand waxes descriptive.
This is Rand's most novel-esque novel; rarely does it read like a sermon, unlike the rest of her books. The characters' struggles change them, much more so than her other heroes, and the story centers around an actual character rather than a group of characters. Kira Argounova is a citizen of recently-communist Russia, where she attends the Technological Institute, studying architecture. There she meets Andrei, who has a mind as sharp and focused as hers, but he truly believes in the power of the communist philosophy to make every man a fulfilled man. Her family doesn't understand her, because she's always been wild and indifferent to the feelings of others; they believe she feels nothing herself. She meets a man named Leo on a street corner. They fall in love and attempt to escape, but are forced instead to make their living quietly in Russia as conditions worsen for independent minds such as theirs. I find the romance interesting and a little odd, because while I've been able to understand and feel for all of Rand's characters, even the bad guys, I don't have any sense of who Leo outside of his relationship with Kira. They are utterly in love, apparently, and when he gets sick - both mentally and physically, and both due to the loss of independence under communist rule - Kira desperately tries to make him better. Her family is poor, and many of them are sick, so she can't get the money she needs to send Leo to a sanatorium. So in traditional Randian fashion, she sleeps with Andrei, who as a respected Comrade is well-off, and offers her money that, unbeknownst to him, pays for Leo's care. So many of the characters disintegrate and are worn down, and it's hard not to feel bitter at the world by the end of the novel. The prose is beautiful, though, especially when Rand waxes descriptive.