Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

16 reviews

gracefm's review against another edition

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

5.0


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alexandra4's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-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

5.0


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mrs_gale's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

0.5

I read a copy translated by Robert Nesbit Bain. It was awful, truly. 
Very boring and a bit depressing. 

Thankfully it is just a short novella, 73 pages. Took me 10 days to finally finish it because I hated almost every second. I wanted to like it, and the first chapter was ok but I have no understanding why this is a 'classic'.

Never read a Tolstoy before, probably won't read another. I'm not sure if the translation I read was any good, but there were errors in the copy. 


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dearbhlanoonan's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad medium-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

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jacob_dion's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0


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floatinthevoid's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

I don't understand why I was not as moved as others had been by this book. I was expecting tear jerker lines or attached feelings to ivan ilyich, but I got none of that. Maybe because I have very strong perspective about death, or maybe because ivan ilyich is to me a character with no unique personality. I don't mind ordinary characters, but one who complain about his wife too much gives me the ick. Not my cup of tea, probably will try another titles from tolstoy tho

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jckdyle's review against another edition

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dark sad medium-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

4.5


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irenelpynn's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-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

5.0


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ruthmoog's review against another edition

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dark sad slow-paced

4.0

I can't really describe this as enjoyable, but it was quite good... Just rather bleak! Themes of class and politics are beside the interplay of physical and mental experience from living -or dying- with chronic pain. 
And it's short for a Tolstoy!

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greatexpectations77's review against another edition

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reflective sad medium-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

3.0

What you see is what you get here. A guy dies. The writing is interesting, but that's kind of what's goin' on.

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