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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Beautifully written...as with all Russian novels, I had to keep a list of characters and all of their names! The intertwining of characters throughout is engaging and thoughtfully done. The relationships and emotions are vivid and memorable...loved this novel!
That was an epic read! This is a long book that does deviate into tangents often but it's sheer scale just drew me in. It oscillates between big philosophical points and this universe of characters who imperciptibly cross paths with one another cosntantly all over Russia. Definitely not a fast read but very very worth it
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First I want to say that the writing is so beautiful and mesmerizing. The descriptions of mundane things are just incredible to read. I also agree that releasing this book was very brave of Pasternak. I understood how he tried to portray the difficulties of leading a normal routine life during times of war and uncertainty. Morals are heavily skewed due to the survival instinct. However, I feel like Lara is the star of the show here. It felt like we were constantly trying to justify Yuri’s actions (and this may be due to Pasternak’s affair at the time). Lara felt very straightforward while Yuri felt unreliable. In my analysis, this just again has to do with what the author was trying to portray. I enjoyed the poems and the conflict Yuri had between his passion and being practical. I feel more inspired to read other classics.
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
So hard to read/follow for me. I used plot summaries to help me through. Incredibly moody parts interspersed though.
it’s just really long and really not that interesting for the length tbh - i forced myself to finish a tale of two cities but i don’t really feel like forcing myself to finish this
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Definitely one of the best books I've ever read. What an amazing style and characters. I love the different kind of views and the subtlety of the ideas they formulate. Truely a great novel. I saw the movie a few years ago, so I was a bit scared (the movie is mostly three hours of shots of a train in a snowy landscape) but the book is actually really eventful and exciting! I think this book really made it to my top-10 favorite books.
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No