You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
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:
Yes
I'm lost meandering through this book like the train carrying Yuri and Tonya into the Russian backwaters. I really want to like this book, just listen to this endorsement featured on the back cover: "A book that made a most profound impression upon me and the memory of which still does...not since Shakespeare has love been so fully, vividly, scrupulously and directly communication" and this "..[belongs] to that small group of novels by which all others are ultimately judged". I can appreciate snippets of it like Yuri sleeping for days on the train seemed to really capture the mood of the book at that time, and some little phrases from heaven like the description of the sun coming up through the mist like a fat man in a steam bath. But overall I'm just not captured by it, otherwise I'd be reading it right now instead of writing this. Finally I got to the end and I must say at some point gave up on trying to track through the complex web of characters. Really if you want to enjoy the book take notes of the main characters and how they intersect at different points during the novel. I kind of want to reread it to put all the pieces together but life is far too short for me to bother.
Ok. A bit of a slog. Confusing. Bizarre coincidences. This is a love story? Still...glad I read it.
30% romance and 70% critique on the Russian revolutions and the imposed socialism/communism - honestly, relieved the book wasn't entirely centered around Zhivago's romantic pursuits. Enjoyed the book much more for its historical context and critique than I do for the supposed romantic plot.
Honestly, could not fully sympathize with Zhivago especially when it's his wife Tonya who has to face moving and deportation with their two children, one being a newborn; and then it's Lisa who has to live with being deceived for "her own good", and then it's his third wife who is suddenly left abandoned without any explanation before he dies? Definitely would pass on getting a drink with Zhivago if given the chance.
Honestly, could not fully sympathize with Zhivago especially when it's his wife Tonya who has to face moving and deportation with their two children, one being a newborn; and then it's Lisa who has to live with being deceived for "her own good", and then it's his third wife who is suddenly left abandoned without any explanation before he dies? Definitely would pass on getting a drink with Zhivago if given the chance.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would definitely advise this book for a person who is interested in studying the Civil War period in Russia from the social perspective, rather than the historical facts and details.
I hesitated giving this 5 stars, because in some ways I was disappointed with it, but upon reflection much of my issues with stem from my preconceptions of what the book should be, based on the famous movie and to a lesser extent the TV dramatisation. The movie was one of my first "adult" films I saw as a child, and as it has good replay-ability I have watched it many times since. So what Doctor Zhivago "is" was defined by the movie which is a shame since in reality the book is extremely good, although in my opinion, not quite the same story as the screenplays.
These assholes have such similar names that it made me tweak out and drop reading for a month. It was great style-wise but I think I didn’t read it attentively enough so I didn’t get much pleasure from this book. It’s very much a branch of the style of Russian literature if you’re into that you might like this.
Stopping for now at about 35%. I may come back at some point, but for now, I need a break.