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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
"To be a woman is a great adventure;
To drive men mad is a heroic thing. "
Doctor Zhivago delves into the era of the Russian Revolution, where political and societal change mirror the inner turmoil of the book's characters. The story revolves around Yuri Zhivago, a doctor torn between love and duty, navigating a world where passion and principles collide. As narrative unfolds, it draws us into Zhivago's journey, exploring themes of love, loss, and the quest for meaning in a world gripped by the revolution of his nation and his sorrows.
Doctor Zhivago earns its rating for its profound exploration of the indomitable human spirit and its enduring quest for love and meaning.
To drive men mad is a heroic thing. "
Doctor Zhivago delves into the era of the Russian Revolution, where political and societal change mirror the inner turmoil of the book's characters. The story revolves around Yuri Zhivago, a doctor torn between love and duty, navigating a world where passion and principles collide. As narrative unfolds, it draws us into Zhivago's journey, exploring themes of love, loss, and the quest for meaning in a world gripped by the revolution of his nation and his sorrows.
Doctor Zhivago earns its rating for its profound exploration of the indomitable human spirit and its enduring quest for love and meaning.
emotional
reflective
sad
And...clunk. Seeing as it took me 15 days to finish Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak, all I have to say is, finally!! And, I think I have been cured of my Russia obsession for the time being. Let me just say that Doctor Zhivago is one of the most challenging books I have ever read. First, I think it would have been very helpful to know about all the politics and factions involved in the Russian Revolution because I know nothing about it. And, this book did nothing to make it any clearer for me. Also, it was hard to follow all the characters because they all have 3 names, for example the main character Yurii Andreievich Zhivago and on top of that they are referred to by multiple nicknames (i.e. Yura, Yurochka) or just their last name, but it is never consistent. So, that made it difficult to keep track of all the characters in my head. And, in the end, I really didn't feel much for the main character, Dr. Zhivago. He marries Tonia and claims to adore her. They have a son together, but right after his birth he has to leave. As a doctor, he goes to work on the war front and meets Lara. It appears to be platonic until his wife assumes otherwise and then suddenly he realizes he's in love with Lara. He runs into her years later after they have returned to their families and they start an affair, at the same time his wife becomes pregnant again. Then he is kidnapped and forced to work for partisan forces for several years. During that time his family has to flee the country. Then he escapes and carries on an affair with Lara. Then she has to flee, but he refuses to go with her. He returns to Moscow and basically becomes worthless. But, he "marries" Marina and has two children with her. Then he dies. Then we find out Lara also had a daughter by Dr. Zhivago that she somehow gave up. I liked Dr. Zhivago at first, but I felt his character became less and less likable as the story went on. And, there were lots and lots of details and political philosophizing that seemed a bit extraneous. I felt my eyes glaze over many times while reading this book. And, once I reached the end of the story, then there was a section of poems by Dr. Zhivago because he was also a poet. I felt obliged to read them, but basically, I was just reading words to say I had finished completely. Woot.
The cover of my copy states that this book is "one of the great novels of the century - a love story for all time." Whoever made that claim probably watched the movie instead of reading the book. Maybe I got a particularly bad translation, but I found the story straggling, confusing, and meaningless. The first 100 pages are basically useless, full of mostly inconsequential events and about a thousand random characters with confusing Russian names who never play any further role in the story. I only started to feel like there actually was a cohesive story after page 100, but the "epic love story" didn't start until page 300 and then was a tepid, meaningless affair that only lasted 150 pages. Zhivago was simpering putz; self-serving, undirected, and apparently unconcerned with the feelings of the three women he married, had affairs, and committed bigamy with. He dies before the book is even over. Other characters come and go at random, making you forget who they are by the time they reappear. Many die random, barely explained deaths, about which you don't care. The characters are generally impossible to connect with or care about, the story line has no real plot or engaging premise, and if you are not familiar with Russian history much of the setting and events will probably be lost on you too. I feel like I missed a lot, but it's not worth rereading to figure it out. What a slog.
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I grew up watching the movie and always LOVED it, and wanted to love the original book too...just couldn't do it unfortunately.
Coincidence rules the lives of two lovers, but not strongly enough to stop the events of the Russian revolution surrounding them.
A story that is larger than life and twice as natural. You just have to unplug requirements for strict realism and go with poetic truths instead: the snow is cold, the cheap stove smokes, the rats knock over the plates. And yet there is life, and love, and loyalties as complex as the Russian names throughout the book.
I liked this. It's densely written, slow, then sudden, then just keeps going on. Recommended for romantics and poets.
A story that is larger than life and twice as natural. You just have to unplug requirements for strict realism and go with poetic truths instead: the snow is cold, the cheap stove smokes, the rats knock over the plates. And yet there is life, and love, and loyalties as complex as the Russian names throughout the book.
I liked this. It's densely written, slow, then sudden, then just keeps going on. Recommended for romantics and poets.
Just amazing! If you have the time and a love of Russian Lit, this is it!
I have just finished reading the Folio Society's edition with the new translation by Pasternak's nephew, awesome illustrations by the author's father and some of the poems have been translated by Lydia Pasternak's sister, whose work was far superior to the other translated poems in my opinion. This book is beautiful. At times it is grand and philosophical and then suddenly it becomes intimate and emotional. The tone perfectly reflects the main character's state of mind in all its capriciousness. This is definitely a book I will come back to in the future.