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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
An absolute gem of Eastern European literature. The complexity of the story and the reality of the characters makes it difficult to forget and the beauty of the writing, especially considering the book is translated, is phenomenal.
emotional
One of the most beautiful books ever written. Readable just for the sake of the language.
Something I was trying to figure out while reading this book was whether Yuri was reasonable. His opinions were often well argued, and some decisions he made were treated as pure fact. However, three decisions were quite contrary to this general description:
His continual pursuit of Lara The scene in which he decides he must shoot but shoots the tree Allowing Lara to travel the country with the man who took advantage of her in her youth when he could have easily accompanied her
It didn’t seem consistent to me whether he was acting in an absurd way or an objective one.
Initially, the endless coincidences bothered me, but I read something by Pasternak explaining that that was the point, as a descriptor of the forces that seem to be at work in life. I suppose that’s okay, although it does give one (me) unrealistic expectations for my likelihood of running into people I want to run into.
As someone once compared to Lara, I read this book mostly trying to figure out what that meant. In the end, I think the scene that explains it best is when she sits on her bed with her hands behind her head at the beginning of the book, thinking of what to do with her day. That or I say “Right?” a lot.
Five stars because I had fun reading it.
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
There is some beautiful writing here, and I appreciate the effort. That said, I think the core love interest was developed more by telling than showing. I also found the tone to be a bit lighter at times, which contrasted oddly with the seriousness of the circumstances.
"Zhivago" is an incredibly beautiful story, if a little difficult to read at times. (It follows the trend of a lot of popular Russian literature, where the crucial characters have about fifteen names and nine nicknames and sometimes, I lose track.) The film, while definitely awesome, can't compare to the novel's imagery. I love this story.
Russian literature, you say? Sounds intimidating. That was exactly my sentiment when finally I chose to pick this book off my shelf. And oh was it worth it. Talk about your tragic character who manages to restore the reader's trust in love even though his own fate brings him to emotional, mental, and physical areas beyond redemption. The characters and plots are numerous, but by the end of the novel, Pasternak manages to tie all of them together with a seemless effort unexpected by the reader.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
This beautiful translation by Pevear & Volokhonsky was superbly read by Juliet Stevenson. I sometimes found it hard to keep track of the vast array of characters because of the use of first name & patronymic, surname only, and a wide range of nicknames for each person. It’s slow moving and the characters are very complex, but well worth a read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Deportation
Both times I read this book, I was seeing a guy who lived in downtown Chicago and taking the commuter train from the suburbs once a month / twice a week (I liked the second guy better) to see him. Reading Doctor Zhivago on a train really adds something. This is classic Russian grim literature.
