Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Anna Karenina by Nina Berberova, Leo Tolstoy

24 reviews

skelleybean's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I will not say that I’m not smart enough to understand this book, merely not educated enough. I’m uneducated in politics, Russian history, and general philosophy so that this book is a bit hard to read. However, the moments that I was able to grasp and truly understand were wonderful. It is well written and the characters feel so real— they think and talk and love and fight like real people do. If you are up for the challenge and the length, it is worth the read (or listen).

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Self harm, Abandonment, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Classism, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Suicide, Alcohol, and Suicide attempt

tommy_g's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death, Suicide, Mental illness, and Abandonment

Minor: War, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Pregnancy

elihrus's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

This book is a tough one. A lot of philosophy about God and blame... And a lot of pseudo-communism and agriculture. I guess I wouldn't read the 870 pages again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Death

Minor: War and Alcohol

charleyyyyy's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

I can't believe I've finally finished this book. It was worth it though, I think this is a very rewarding read, and I enjoyed it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Racism, Suicide, Medical content, War, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Animal death, and Misogyny

skinshela's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Beautifully written story about Russian nobility in the 19th century, specifically the lives of Anna Karenina and Konstantin Levin as foils of each other. Tolstoy conveys  strong themes of morality, life and death, class, gender and love. From a modern Western context, many of the conflicts in the story can seem quite unnecessary but with an open mind the characters; their feelings and reactions to the events throughout the book is quite touching. I really recommend this for sure!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Classism, Death, Infidelity, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexism, War, and Racism

celery's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, Misogyny, Child death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Classism, Colonisation, Toxic friendship, War, Addiction, Blood, Death of parent, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Medical content, Racial slurs, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Suicide, Xenophobia, Self harm, Sexism, and Violence

aristarcodisamo's review against another edition

challenging hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Grief, Death, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Addiction, War, and Alcoholism

ehuggins22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Although the book is titled Anna Karenina, it explores more characters than just her. I would even go as far to to say that the main character is actually Levin.  The book is character driven, giving different point of views throughout with their feelings, flaws, and ideas. The ending is incredibly sad yet it does give you a hopeful reproach upon life and being alive but also questions existence itself and how actions and thought form the being of all of us.  This book was incredible and will have a lasting effect on the reader.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition

dark emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Infidelity, Classism, Violence, Toxic friendship, Grief, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Death, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual content and Pregnancy

thedandybrambler's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, War, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Grief, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Antisemitism

Minor: Gun violence