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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
reflective
slow-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
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
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
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
3.5
I read this for the great debate hosted by CarolynMarieReads and * e m m i e* on Youtube where we read all of Tolstoy's and Dicken's works, and this was the first book in this book club. I listened to this on audiobook and I don't think the audiobook was very good so that hindered my experience. I really enjoyed the writing but I don't like books that focus on the descension of a character and the ambiguous/unfinished ending. Though I am very much enjoying this book club so that makes this book shine in a positive light for me.
I read this for the great debate hosted by CarolynMarieReads and * e m m i e* on Youtube where we read all of Tolstoy's and Dicken's works, and this was the first book in this book club. I listened to this on audiobook and I don't think the audiobook was very good so that hindered my experience. I really enjoyed the writing but I don't like books that focus on the descension of a character and the ambiguous/unfinished ending. Though I am very much enjoying this book club so that makes this book shine in a positive light for me.
Charmingly sentimental, awfully naive but oh so enjoyable! Without a doubt, this is Tolstoy's first novel and character development wise this book isn't him at his best, especially when it comes to female characters. However, this has the trusted old Russian style of nature description and I really enjoyed how nature and emotions were linked together. The narrator, Nikolai, who we follow from childhood to teenage years, is frustrating at parts but I found his selfishness and pride fun to follow. He didn't, however, really grow as a character which I was expecting and that is why development and plot wise the book fell short for me. All the stars to Tolstoy's writing and nature descriptions, though.
reflective
slow-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
I'm so sorry Tolstoy
I read this as the first book as part of a four year long book club which aims to read the whole works of both Charles Dickens and Leo Tolstoy. I powered through this because of that fact, but in the future, I'm keeping to my usual ways of DNFing if I don't like the book. I know my reading tastes and I shouldn't doubt that.
This work seemed like something that should have stayed as a writing experiment, it should have stayed in the drafts. What was the point of this? At the end it hints at a fourth movement, 'manhood.' If this would have happened it would be easy to see the purpose- a sweeping novel accounting someone's whole life and how little moments impact them all throughout. However, this obviously did not happen.
I had absolutely no interest in this. Not even for the fact it was written by Tolstoy, as it felt unfinished. There were chapters and chapters of mediocracy for one paragraph of good, Tolstoy-like writing, which was frustrating to say the least.
Anyways, this book is rated really high, but I'm not sure who I'd recommend it to and I'm not sure if I'd even recommend it to a Tolstoy fan.
I read this as the first book as part of a four year long book club which aims to read the whole works of both Charles Dickens and Leo Tolstoy. I powered through this because of that fact, but in the future, I'm keeping to my usual ways of DNFing if I don't like the book. I know my reading tastes and I shouldn't doubt that.
This work seemed like something that should have stayed as a writing experiment, it should have stayed in the drafts. What was the point of this? At the end it hints at a fourth movement, 'manhood.' If this would have happened it would be easy to see the purpose- a sweeping novel accounting someone's whole life and how little moments impact them all throughout. However, this obviously did not happen.
I had absolutely no interest in this. Not even for the fact it was written by Tolstoy, as it felt unfinished. There were chapters and chapters of mediocracy for one paragraph of good, Tolstoy-like writing, which was frustrating to say the least.
Anyways, this book is rated really high, but I'm not sure who I'd recommend it to and I'm not sure if I'd even recommend it to a Tolstoy fan.