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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had read “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” by Tolstoy for a class several years ago, and the story was in a book of other stories, and I always promised myself I would come back and read the rest. I finally did, and while I had sort of (foolishly) hoped that his other stories would be a little lighter in tone, I was definitely mistaken. For one thing, even Tolstoy’s “short” stories are 60-100 pages. The man was chronically long-winded. They also all end rather badly! The happiest one of the bunch still quit on what I would consider to be a sour note, though I’ll just bet that Tolstoy honestly thought he was giving that one a happy ending. Perhaps some people can only write tragedies?
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Three novellas from the literary giant Leo Tolstoy, beautifully translated (from what I can tell) by Rosemary Edmonds. Overall, it is a collection that still manages to transport one to the time and place - namely mid-19th century Russia. The writing is intimate, philosophic, and certainly tracks with what we think we know of Tolstoy's views. A common thread across all three stories is a disdain from Tolstoy when it comes to the ruling and middle classes, and rather a preference shown toward a simpler agrarian life.
Happy Ever After - My least favorite of the three. This story explores the maturing relationship between a man and woman, the corrupting influence of society on a loving couple, and a failure to understand one another and communicate. I know I stated that this collection transports the reader, for whatever reason this story was less successful on that score. Perhaps it is just that this is the least compatible with my current sensibilities and I was not able to let go of a modern way of thinking. There is a discussion to be had about relations built on an uneven power level.
The Death of Ivan Ilyich - The story begins with the ending, the very one that the title gives away, but it's not a story about death so much as a man's confronting the knowledge of his impending death. The essential question is, 'What makes a good life?' Or perhaps more accurately, 'What makes a life well lived?' Ivan Ilyich eventually questions the way he went about his life as a middle-class man in Russian society; he did everything that would be expected of him to raise his station. An intimate look at a life wasted and a fear of the one certainty - death. A real dig at the upwardly mobile, immoral core within Russian society of the time.
The Cossacks - My favorite of the three, and apparently a favorite of Turgenev's as well. A young aristocrat leaves the superficiality of Moscow, and a fair bit of racked-up debt, for the hope of a new life in the Caucasus. Here we have wildness, beauty, and seeming simplicity, but tangled affections can disrupt any idyllic scenery. Again, we see Tolstoy's preference for simplicity and a life away from high-society, but we also get some hints of Tolstoy's pacifism. There is some signature Tolstoy introspection for our protagonist that is revealing of the author himself. The imagery in this story is top-notch, hall-of-fame stuff.
Happy Ever After - My least favorite of the three. This story explores the maturing relationship between a man and woman, the corrupting influence of society on a loving couple, and a failure to understand one another and communicate. I know I stated that this collection transports the reader, for whatever reason this story was less successful on that score. Perhaps it is just that this is the least compatible with my current sensibilities and I was not able to let go of a modern way of thinking. There is a discussion to be had about relations built on an uneven power level.
The Death of Ivan Ilyich - The story begins with the ending, the very one that the title gives away, but it's not a story about death so much as a man's confronting the knowledge of his impending death. The essential question is, 'What makes a good life?' Or perhaps more accurately, 'What makes a life well lived?' Ivan Ilyich eventually questions the way he went about his life as a middle-class man in Russian society; he did everything that would be expected of him to raise his station. An intimate look at a life wasted and a fear of the one certainty - death. A real dig at the upwardly mobile, immoral core within Russian society of the time.
The Cossacks - My favorite of the three, and apparently a favorite of Turgenev's as well. A young aristocrat leaves the superficiality of Moscow, and a fair bit of racked-up debt, for the hope of a new life in the Caucasus. Here we have wildness, beauty, and seeming simplicity, but tangled affections can disrupt any idyllic scenery. Again, we see Tolstoy's preference for simplicity and a life away from high-society, but we also get some hints of Tolstoy's pacifism. There is some signature Tolstoy introspection for our protagonist that is revealing of the author himself. The imagery in this story is top-notch, hall-of-fame stuff.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s Tolstoy, it’s kinda silly to even review it. A magnificent collection. There are instances of intense misogyny, particularly in The Kreutzer Sonata and The Devil, that are particularly hard to stomach. That aside, this contains some of the best stories told.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: War
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced