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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“…my whole life, regardless of all that may happen to me, every minute of it, is not only not meaningless, as it was before, but has the unquestionable meaning of the good which it is in my power to put into it!”
Something reminded me of this book today so I thought I'd add it to my shelf. Tolstoy...what can I say? While parts of the book were so beautifully written, they brought me to tears (and sighs of envy), there were also some parts that put me to sleep, and not in a good way. [What is a good way to be lulled to sleep? Drifting off to dreamland while listening to David Attenborough talk about biodiversity and the beauty of the planet in his lovely, sing-songy voice, that's what!]
I should go through it again to mark the passages that read like poetry just to feel inspired.
I should go through it again to mark the passages that read like poetry just to feel inspired.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Specifically this translation.
Just finished. Will write something later.
Just finished. Will write something later.
emotional
reflective
sad
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 think this just wasn't a book for me. I couldn't get past my apathy and then dislike of Anna and so never truly had any emotional connection to the story or characters.
With that said, I did quite enjoy the start of the novel.
From the very first chapter all the way until Anna left Moscow, I was enjoying pretty much all the narrative threads and was excited to read on. And after that ... well it did start to loose pace and feel quite dull.
There were flashes after that point which pulled me back in, most moments with Levin or on Levin's farm (surprisingly), reading the inner workings of Alexi Alexandrovich's thoughts, Kitty's time abroad, most scenes with Oblonsky (again, surprisingly). But always after these chapters we would return to Anna or Vronsky and I struggled to care or engage with their plot.
I can see the skilful writing that makes this a classic - the character development, the interwoven narratives, the commentary on the society of the time, the detailing of the inner workings of so many different characters heads, the family dynamics, the changing views of generations, and the detailed exploration of life continued well past where most stories end - but my general apathy towards what happens to Anna (and Vronsky) really prevented me from appreciating any of this as more than just a basic acknowledgment.
But even so, despite my lack of emotional connection to them, I do have to say the characters in this story are made amazingly real, their personalities given crystal clear clarity and life breathed so soundly into them they felt astoundingly three dimensional.
But, unfortunately to love a book that is primarily a giant character study you need to have strong feelings towards the characters, and I just never really did.
But, unfortunately to love a book that is primarily a giant character study you need to have strong feelings towards the characters, and I just never really did.
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
