Reviews - Fathers and Sons

999 reviews for:

Fathers and Sons

Ivan Turgenev

3.84 AVERAGE

zayatay's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mikenyby's review against another edition

3.5

funny reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A little underwhelming, though perhaps that can be chalked up to my expectations and a general ambivalence towards domestic fiction. The purpose seems to be a send-up of a certain type of arrogant young intellectual embodied in Bazarov, a type that must have been common in mid 19th century Russia. The disconnect maybe lessens the impact, but still I think the critiques have some parallel in the pseudo-intellectual reactionary culture we see effect mostly young men today.

I did enjoy the jabs at the prevailing classist worldview and lack of self-awareness on the part of the upper class, especially this exchange:

Bazarov: "Alas, we shall not have beef today. Poverty is no crime."
Arkady: "How many serfs do you have?"
Bazarov: "Twenty-three."

slavic_lit_pod's review against another edition

5.0

Seriously, what’s up with Bazarov and frogs?

5/10 not enough dissections

gkalashnikova's review against another edition

4.0

emotional medium-paced

debgpi's review against another edition

4.0

A solid Russian novel. Random philosophical discussions? Check. Hopeless love? Check. The "old washed up men" are at least 8 years younger than me? Check.