Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
This book set my life on its current course. After reading it in college, I was determined to live a life of purpose and fulfillment.
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The shortest and best Tolstoy I’ve read. Gripping in its descriptions and writing but awful to read of a person as they die.
The story started interestingly enough, then faded into overdone Dostoyevsky-esque talk about personal suffering before rounding out quite nicely. I think Tolstoy was trying to stay away from direct description of physical pain brought on by mental anguish (that's his peer's territory) but he couldn't manage to avoid it. At least he used some creative descriptive methods to ease the boring sentiment. And, thankfully, Tolstoy put in enough unsentimental narration to displace the rest, making this---all in all---a good story.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The meta-analysis at the end of his life, where he was in between life and death, both literally and figuratively, is one of the best-written passages in my mind.
Meta-analysis in a meta-existence. Brilliant.
Meta-analysis in a meta-existence. Brilliant.
This was a quick read and my first venture into Tolstoy, and it was phenomenal and haunting all the same. Truly a dark, yet Stoic, Russian commentary on the human condition. There’s a lot to unpack in this one and I’ll be chewing on it for a while. One cannot truly live until you can accept your own suffering and death. Happy Friday!
"svest o tome da život neprestano beznadežno odlazi"
I’ve been meaning to read The Death of Ivan Ilych for a long time. The only work by Tolstoy I’ve previously read is War and Peace, and I loved it. I’m not sure why it’s taken so long to read anything else of his.
I finally read it today, on a plane from Alicante to Amsterdam, and on my way to a funeral. I’m not sure if it’s the best or worst time to read this story when contemplating mortality but it was profound and deeply affecting.
Tolstoy describes the character’s successful career, and reasonably wealthy position before illness slowly creeps up and robs him of everything. All what’s left is the inevitable slow decline into oblivion.
His family and friends, conscience or not, think “better him than me”, amongst other selfish thoughts. Of course, this is completely natural for any human being to feel but it’s rare for a writer to express such painful truths in such an honest and vivid way.
Bitterness and regret is at the forefront of Ivan’s mind. “Why me?”, he asks. Perhaps there is no reason, that it’s futile to seek such answers.
It’s been said countless times before but I suppose we have to value our short time on earth as much as possible and try to be as prepared as possible when it comes to an end.
I finally read it today, on a plane from Alicante to Amsterdam, and on my way to a funeral. I’m not sure if it’s the best or worst time to read this story when contemplating mortality but it was profound and deeply affecting.
Tolstoy describes the character’s successful career, and reasonably wealthy position before illness slowly creeps up and robs him of everything. All what’s left is the inevitable slow decline into oblivion.
His family and friends, conscience or not, think “better him than me”, amongst other selfish thoughts. Of course, this is completely natural for any human being to feel but it’s rare for a writer to express such painful truths in such an honest and vivid way.
Bitterness and regret is at the forefront of Ivan’s mind. “Why me?”, he asks. Perhaps there is no reason, that it’s futile to seek such answers.
It’s been said countless times before but I suppose we have to value our short time on earth as much as possible and try to be as prepared as possible when it comes to an end.