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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
I meant to listen to this book narrated by Simon Prebble, but read the text instead. Tolstoy did an impressive job of capturing the inside of Ivan’s mind as he went from self absorbed everyday man to a dying character. This excerpt from Wikipedia does a better job of capturing the writing than anything I might have said “From a biographical standpoint, therefore, it is possible to interpret The Death of Ivan Ilyich as a manifestation of Tolstoy's embroilment with death and the meaning of his own life during his final years. In other words, by dramatizing a particular sort of lifestyle and its unbearable decline, Tolstoy is able to impart his philosophy that success as it is judged by society, such as Ivan Ilyich's, comes at a great moral cost and if one decides to pay this cost, life will become hollow and insincere and therefore worse than death.”
this book is good i deducted a star for giving me an existential crisis though
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a short novel and it has a quick introduction to its characters. Here we see the characters that are much obsessed with their own lives. For example when the so called friends get to know of his death they immediately think of what effect it has on them. I feel like this is inevitably true in all aspects but people do not admit that.
Even his wife and children they feel as if an obstacle just passed away.
I particularly love how Ivan Ilych comes into conversation with his own mind as to whether or not he spent his life in the right way and then he eventually understands there is no right way and all he has to do is to let go.
I loved the style of writing and maybe wished it was a bit longer with much more dwelling into its characters like Anna Karenina but enjoyed it all the same.
Even his wife and children they feel as if an obstacle just passed away.
I particularly love how Ivan Ilych comes into conversation with his own mind as to whether or not he spent his life in the right way and then he eventually understands there is no right way and all he has to do is to let go.
I loved the style of writing and maybe wished it was a bit longer with much more dwelling into its characters like Anna Karenina but enjoyed it all the same.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-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
52Books2024 Reading Challenge: November Mini-Challenge: Set in a country bordering at least five other countries
Well, that was a nice read to further encourage my existential dread of death...
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I mean, what else is there to be said .... those Russians, they get life.