Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

4 reviews

rachaelina's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.5

This is very well written and I hated it. Now, I think I was supposed to hate most of the characters, but that doesn't draw me to the book. I do kind of wish that I had read a physical copy rather than listening to it as I think there were some things that seem long, boring, and extraneous that probably would have made more sense if I had had time to stop and think about them instead of being pulled along by a recording, but I don't wish that enough to read it again. I also don't recommend this recording as I don't think Maggie Gyllenhaal does a particularly good job of portraying the actual tone the characters are taking when speaking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, and Suicide

Moderate: War

Minor: Abortion

There is cheating and adultey all throughout this book. Not sure why there's not a warning tag for that.

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

knenigans's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I did not love the story or the overarching message but I did very much enjoy the writing and it is clear why this remains so popular.

I wish I had read this novel when I was 15, I think that would've been the perfect age for me to fully appreciate it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Infidelity, Suicide, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexism, Pregnancy, Drug use, Grief, Classism, Death, Antisemitism, Child death, and Addiction

molly_greenshields's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.0

She's only gone and completed one of her biggest literary goals of the year! After all, isn't Anna Karenina one of the greatest works of literature of all time? And although I went into this 800+ page beast... slightly daunted to say the least, I actually ended up having a lot of fun! I was living for the sheer drama and scandal of Russian Society (fair warning: Anna Karenina is just the tip of the iceberg), and Tolstoy's prose was just stunning (it's true that he actually had me laughing aloud from time to time) Loved, loved, loved.

I will readily admit, however, that I did skim over Levin's musings on scythes and agriculture...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Infidelity, and Death

Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Emotional abuse