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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
I had a really hard time finishing this because I kept forgetting what had happened in previous volumes/books.
I can finally say I have finished this gargantuan novel and I have to say it feels good. I was intimidated by the size of the book but the characters lives are so exciting that the size of the book just rids you of that feeling of wishing a good book could go on forever. Tolstoy creates rich characters and delves into great detail on their personal development throughout the times of war and peace in Russia, often having character fates mirror the fate of Russia. It is well written and exciting. Personally, I found reading about characters in society and their personal struggles more interesting than the military commanders which was admittedly difficult for me to pay attention to at times (my reason for docking a star), but those moments are so important to Tolstoy’s overall message of the randomness of history and how it is often misinterpreted and his discussion on the qualities that make a good leader. This is definitely a book that all avid readers should undertake in their lifetime.
I DID IT, DEAR GOD I DID IT.
That's my short review. This is the longer one:
This was a long, at times slow, at times fast, winding road. When the book followed the main characters (Pierre, Andrei), I really enjoyed it and was able to get really into it. When Tolstoy moved on to battle narrations and analyses, I got stuck for weeks on end. Concerning the parts I liked, then, I was extremely impressed by Tolstoy's ability to write so intimately about the characters, to immerse in them to an extent where the reader was able to be a part of their most intimate thoughts and feelings. It was distracting for me, even - I'd be walking down the street with a nagging feeling of something being amiss, only to realise that it was not having finished a section with Pierre, for instance. Because his matters were unfinished, I felt like I had something unfinished. Perhaps the best moment of the book for me was Andrei's death. The lead up to it, in Andrei's mind, was a haunting experience.
My least favourite parts, the war theory and the battles, were tough. At one point I turned a page to find a map of a battleground! Whyyyyy?! (Yes, the clue was in the title.) I didn't think war would be incorporated in such an analytical way, however. Also, Tolstoy does not like historians. I get it, you do not like historians. I get it. And it was interesting, I suppose, to read his historical theory and ideas of free will, etc. The last 40 pages of the book are a treatise on history and power, but if I had wanted to read historical theory, I would have picked up a historical theory book - so again, that took me a lot of time to force myself to read it.
Ach well.
I did it. Kudos. Goodnight.
That's my short review. This is the longer one:
This was a long, at times slow, at times fast, winding road. When the book followed the main characters (Pierre, Andrei), I really enjoyed it and was able to get really into it. When Tolstoy moved on to battle narrations and analyses, I got stuck for weeks on end. Concerning the parts I liked, then, I was extremely impressed by Tolstoy's ability to write so intimately about the characters, to immerse in them to an extent where the reader was able to be a part of their most intimate thoughts and feelings. It was distracting for me, even - I'd be walking down the street with a nagging feeling of something being amiss, only to realise that it was not having finished a section with Pierre, for instance. Because his matters were unfinished, I felt like I had something unfinished. Perhaps the best moment of the book for me was Andrei's death. The lead up to it, in Andrei's mind, was a haunting experience.
My least favourite parts, the war theory and the battles, were tough. At one point I turned a page to find a map of a battleground! Whyyyyy?! (Yes, the clue was in the title.) I didn't think war would be incorporated in such an analytical way, however. Also, Tolstoy does not like historians. I get it, you do not like historians. I get it. And it was interesting, I suppose, to read his historical theory and ideas of free will, etc. The last 40 pages of the book are a treatise on history and power, but if I had wanted to read historical theory, I would have picked up a historical theory book - so again, that took me a lot of time to force myself to read it.
Ach well.
I did it. Kudos. Goodnight.
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
(4.5 stars)
Finally free! Some of the drier war maneuvers and that dreadful final epilogue aside, I’ve very much enjoyed these wonderful characters, the Rostovs especially!
Finally free! Some of the drier war maneuvers and that dreadful final epilogue aside, I’ve very much enjoyed these wonderful characters, the Rostovs especially!
Wow, I can't believe I finished it and also I can't believe it took me so long. But I feel a great sense of accomplishment because this book was hard. Mostly because of it's massive scale, it was hard to keep up with all of the players and events. A quarter way through I didn't have as hard of a time with that, but then I found it very difficult to get through all the war parts. Mostly because war in it's details aren't very interesting to me and so I kept having to re-read all those passages after my mind had wandered.
This book was probably the most "gray" book I've ever read. Since I tend to lean towards black and white thinking it hurt my brain at times. Granted, Tolstoy was amazingly straightforward in his arguments. Tolstoy's precise arguments were mindblowing to me. Mostly because it is hard to comprehend that someone is that intelligent. I was and am in awe over his ability to dissect war, Napoleon, Russia and life in general. He was so knowledgeable in all subjects it seemed. There were even math ratios and scientific theories involved. I also thought it amazing that he had read all these biased accounts of history about Napoleon and was still able to create his own opinion based on the actions; completely dissregarding bias and all the words (letters, and drafted military plans) involved.
The epilogue really hurt my head the most. It was all argument. He just kept building his argument page after page and his conclusion was straightforward, but something that I had never thought to conclude. I had considered it, but never thought of it as the boiling point, or what life came down to. The epilogue also seemed to take on a different tone, and sort of a depressing one at that. I'm curious as to why he ended with the one character and I will see if I can find anything out on sparknotes. It also sort of bugged me that he ends the story and then goes on for another 30 or 40 pages. I didn't even realize that was the last we'd hear from the characters until I finished and then I had to go back and re-read what that last part of the story was. According to the translator's note this sort of ending is exactly what Tolstoy intended, so good for him to staying true to his creation.
Also, this is one classic that didn't really pull at my heartstrings. I think there was a moment where one of the characters dies and I got a little sad, but nothing more than a moment.
And another thing, there was a lot of repeating. A lot. Reading other reviews, readers seemed annoyed with this, but I actually appreciated it because I felt that if he didn't repeat himself or get his point across one more time and then one more time after that, I honestly probably wouldn't have caught it, or retained it. Granted, it also would have been nice to have probably 1/3 of it cut out.
So it's a book I will want to revisit. Definitely. But I don't think I could ever read the whole thing through again.
This book was probably the most "gray" book I've ever read. Since I tend to lean towards black and white thinking it hurt my brain at times. Granted, Tolstoy was amazingly straightforward in his arguments. Tolstoy's precise arguments were mindblowing to me. Mostly because it is hard to comprehend that someone is that intelligent. I was and am in awe over his ability to dissect war, Napoleon, Russia and life in general. He was so knowledgeable in all subjects it seemed. There were even math ratios and scientific theories involved. I also thought it amazing that he had read all these biased accounts of history about Napoleon and was still able to create his own opinion based on the actions; completely dissregarding bias and all the words (letters, and drafted military plans) involved.
The epilogue really hurt my head the most. It was all argument. He just kept building his argument page after page and his conclusion was straightforward, but something that I had never thought to conclude. I had considered it, but never thought of it as the boiling point, or what life came down to. The epilogue also seemed to take on a different tone, and sort of a depressing one at that. I'm curious as to why he ended with the one character and I will see if I can find anything out on sparknotes. It also sort of bugged me that he ends the story and then goes on for another 30 or 40 pages. I didn't even realize that was the last we'd hear from the characters until I finished and then I had to go back and re-read what that last part of the story was. According to the translator's note this sort of ending is exactly what Tolstoy intended, so good for him to staying true to his creation.
Also, this is one classic that didn't really pull at my heartstrings. I think there was a moment where one of the characters dies and I got a little sad, but nothing more than a moment.
And another thing, there was a lot of repeating. A lot. Reading other reviews, readers seemed annoyed with this, but I actually appreciated it because I felt that if he didn't repeat himself or get his point across one more time and then one more time after that, I honestly probably wouldn't have caught it, or retained it. Granted, it also would have been nice to have probably 1/3 of it cut out.
So it's a book I will want to revisit. Definitely. But I don't think I could ever read the whole thing through again.
slow-paced
WHEW. There were parts while reading this that I never thought it would end. While I have to give credit to the "OG" of historical fiction/cinematic scope, overall I was not a fan. Certainly the page number (1225!!) did not help matters, but having to read all those pages AND not have an "ah-ha" moment of why this is one of "the greatest novels of all time" was infuriating. Unlike other longer, i.e. 500+ page novels, like the Goldfinch and the Hearts Invisible Furies, I was not captivated. Sure there were beautifully written passages and poignant philosophical debates about who controls a historical narrative, but those bright lights were few and far between. Glad to say I actually did read this for bragging rights/to be able to argue why other novels do it better. But, I will not be reading it again.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes