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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Spoiler alert: the main character dies (it’s literally in the title).
What makes this novella so powerful isn’t what happens, but how. Tolstoy manages to unpack dread, hypocrisy, and the reality of death in under 100 pages, and every word feels carefully chosen. Ivan’s life is this perfect example of middle-class conformity, it looks respectable and “right,” but it’s hollow at the core. Tolstoy critiques it without ever being preachy, letting the reader draw their own conclusions.
There’s no sentimentality in the way death is portrayed. You feel Ivan’s helplessness and terror all the way through. And yet, in the middle of all that bluntness, there’s still a glimmer of redemption that makes the ending hit even harder. It’s the kind of book that makes you stop and ask yourself whether you’re living a life that’s truly yours, or just the one everyone expects of you.
What makes this novella so powerful isn’t what happens, but how. Tolstoy manages to unpack dread, hypocrisy, and the reality of death in under 100 pages, and every word feels carefully chosen. Ivan’s life is this perfect example of middle-class conformity, it looks respectable and “right,” but it’s hollow at the core. Tolstoy critiques it without ever being preachy, letting the reader draw their own conclusions.
There’s no sentimentality in the way death is portrayed. You feel Ivan’s helplessness and terror all the way through. And yet, in the middle of all that bluntness, there’s still a glimmer of redemption that makes the ending hit even harder. It’s the kind of book that makes you stop and ask yourself whether you’re living a life that’s truly yours, or just the one everyone expects of you.
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-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
Il finale è meraviglioso. Anche se non ho colto completamente il collegamento con le cure palliative e il fatto che lui fosse davvero malato perché sono un po’ rimbambito.
Letto da Silvia Cecchini
Letto da Silvia Cecchini
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Damn :\ I definitely understand why this story brought me to tears in high school. I relate to it much less now but I did find the discussion of time and what is “prudent” or “right” to be interesting.
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ts was so good