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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
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
slow-paced
Maravillosa pero si me hizo sentir que no avanzaba nada.Sólo por eso 4 estrellas.
ez egy nagy harc volt koztem es tolsztoj kozott, ngl.
Marginally better than Crime and Punishment, which isn't really a compliment.
Unpopular opinion: This is not the world’s greatest novel.
This year I’ve read [b:Madame Bovary|2175|Madame Bovary|Gustave Flaubert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606770119l/2175._SY75_.jpg|2766347] and [b:The Painted Veil|99664|The Painted Veil|W. Somerset Maugham|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320421719l/99664._SY75_.jpg|1069201]; both centered around a female character’s marriages and infidelities, both of which I enjoyed immensely. It was only a matter of time before I dived into Anna Karenina.
Unfortunately, this book isn’t just about Anna, which I would’ve very much preferred. Tolstoy could’ve easily told the story in less than 500 pages – instead he inserted himself into the plot as Levin, and had his own moral tale run parallel to Anna Karenina’s adultery business. The book should’ve been named Anna Karenina and The Amazing Human Levin, because half of it is verbosely devoted to Levin and how wonderfully superior he is as a human being.
I felt tricked. It is like... picking up a book called Harry Potter and then dreadfully finding out half of it is about Harry Potter’s sister-in-law’s sister’s husband and his philosophical rants.
This year I’ve read [b:Madame Bovary|2175|Madame Bovary|Gustave Flaubert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606770119l/2175._SY75_.jpg|2766347] and [b:The Painted Veil|99664|The Painted Veil|W. Somerset Maugham|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320421719l/99664._SY75_.jpg|1069201]; both centered around a female character’s marriages and infidelities, both of which I enjoyed immensely. It was only a matter of time before I dived into Anna Karenina.
Unfortunately, this book isn’t just about Anna, which I would’ve very much preferred. Tolstoy could’ve easily told the story in less than 500 pages – instead he inserted himself into the plot as Levin, and had his own moral tale run parallel to Anna Karenina’s adultery business. The book should’ve been named Anna Karenina and The Amazing Human Levin, because half of it is verbosely devoted to Levin and how wonderfully superior he is as a human being.
I felt tricked. It is like... picking up a book called Harry Potter and then dreadfully finding out half of it is about Harry Potter’s sister-in-law’s sister’s husband and his philosophical rants.
Beautifully written, truly. I can understand why this piece of literature is often referred to as “the greatest novel ever written” given its dedication to the style of realism and its natural elegance. I read this book years ago and then recently listened to the audiobook read by Maggie Gyllenhaal. I highly recommend it. The only reason I give it 4 instead of 5 stars is because I truly despise Levin’s - in my opinion - unrealistic “coming to god” at the end. I understand Tolstoy was trying to present a path the complete opposite of Anna’s, but I find it hard to believe that a man so invested in logic and existential crises would so easily surrender to the faith he grew up with as a child. Perhaps I’m projecting, but i just truly disliked his ending. Please try to change my mind, I’m open to hearing other opinions.
emotional
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
When I was in 6th grade we had philosophy class for the first time. I remember flashes from it, and this very specific course about idealizing something, and being disenchanted once we get what we longed for, because it doesn’t live up to our ideals.
This is what happens all throughout Anna Karenina. The characters are always longing for something that looks appealing and charming, and once they achieve it they are led to a spiral of denial and dissatisfaction.
It doesn’t even feel like a period piece.
This is what happens all throughout Anna Karenina. The characters are always longing for something that looks appealing and charming, and once they achieve it they are led to a spiral of denial and dissatisfaction.
It doesn’t even feel like a period piece.
