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dearbhlanoonan's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Death, and Chronic illness
arborapollonis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wasn't too fond of it when I started but the further I got the more I was captivated by the descriptions of Ivan Iljitsj's conditionsm and his ruminations on life. While it is irrevocably connected to the time it was written, the core of the story is something that applies to every human
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
annabellw06_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Death
mariavdl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Terminal illness
arxchiell's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ha ha ha ha ha ha *drops law school*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Ableism
theabee's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A frank look at death and characters confronting it, the surface signs of success but an unsatisfying internal sense of mediocrity
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Terminal illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship
olivia_g_02's review against another edition
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
4.0
thinking about life and death to a degree never before reached which is saying something as a 23 year old teenager who was on tumblr in 2013.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
thinking about death :Dpillswor's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A truly beautiful short story on the experience of death from Tolstoy's own reflection upon faith and religion. I could do without the incredibly repetitive and mundane introduction which makes up half the length of the book. Tolstoy's transformative writing really gets dragged down by Blythe's surface level and faux deep analysis of a text which plainly puts everything at your feet already. I appreciate the real historical context as to what Tolstoy's life was when writing the story though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, and Suicidal thoughts
It is just a story about a man's experience dying. If you're not comfortable with death, topics surrounding it, or the emotions wrapped up in a terminal illness, don't read.venusynth's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
A quick and somber read. It helped me realise the enigmatic nature of death, and nudged me to just appreciate the here and now. Not quite as impactful but I still enjoyed following Ivan to his death, as sadistic as that may sound, because I liked how Tolstoy wrote Ivan's disbelief, fear, and the myriad of emotions that come with realising that the only reason he is suffering is an impending death.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Terminal illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship