Reviews - War and Peace Vol. II

4.3k reviews for:

I didn't think I would enjoy reading this book as much as I did, being as its title often serves as tongue-in-cheek shorthand for extremely long and obtuse books that no one has actually read. But this book was my companion for the last approximately four months, and I do feel enriched after having read it. The reason I read the book was on a friend's recommendation, because the book deals chiefly with man's significance and lack thereof, as well as concepts of power, free will, and even to some degree, finding meaning in life. The interpretations Tolstoy offers of these larger-than-life themes were often oddly comforting to me, and there were many moments where I felt the characters' arcs or the moments in the books could be applied to today, which is quite a feat for a book written in 1867.

nateweida's review against another edition

5.0

Wow this took me forever to read. War and Peace and I shared some great moments, but I was ready to get it out of my system about 800 pages in. But it was sticking with because of the final books...well I could have done without some of the philosophical diatribes but all in all it was a great experience.

montheblonde's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

shannyns1's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective medium-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

lynner416's review against another edition

5.0

i really liked this book...i do admit that i skipped over a lot of the war parts.

livembry's review against another edition

this is probably my biggest accomplishment in life to date.

war and peace is a masterclass in character writing. tolstoy has written his characters with so much depth that i feel like i know them on a personal level. i got to spend a lot of time with each of them and watch them change in response to their complicated relationships, personal trials, and major world events. i would never have thought i would relate to the lives of wealthy russian people from the early 1800s, but their thoughts, worries, joys, and afflictions are so similar to my own.

i definitely enjoyed the peace parts more than the war. but the more i stuck with it, the more i appreciated the descriptions of the futility of war and the naivety of the young soldiers who participate without question. tolstoy expertly weaves together fiction, history, and philosophy. however, the second epilogue, consisting of tolstoys weird essays about free will and existentialism, was so boring and painful to get through. i think i’m more proud of myself for getting through the last 20 pages than i am for finishing the entire book.

i thought the romantic subplots were really well done, i was very invested in the love triangle. tolstoy was such a gossip, he would have loved reality tv lol

overall, i thought this was an all encompassing story and an excellent depiction of the lives of people. i laughed, cried, gasped, learned a lot, my heart swelled and it broke. can’t ask for much more