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danelleeb 's review for:
War and Peace
by Leo Tolstoy
War and Peace. Yes, it's long (1200+ pages). Yes, it's a work of genius. But, besides those two things, it's simply just a great story.
The book follows Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812 and the cast of characters includes emperors and royalty, nobility, peasants, soldiers, ladies at court, etc. and Tolstoy writes them all just amazingly. Somehow, not only are these people expressed effectively, but the culture of their "groups" and the joys and pains that are so very specific to them are as well. War and Peace is written in such a way that you can't help but be pulled into these people's lives and their times. They are all searching for something - a leader, a direction, a religion, an answer, - and the journeys are rewarding. Among the characters, special emphasis is placed on Pierre Bezuhkov, an illegitimate heir to a multi-millionaire; Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, a member of the nobility who leaves his wife behind to join the war against Napoleon; and Natasha Rostov, a young daughter of a Russian count who is the interest of both Bolkonsky and Bezuhkov.
Tolstoy touches on history, theology, philosophy, ethics, politics, psychology, and military strategy. A huge portion of this work - I don't think it can be called a novel, exactly - is its insights on human nature, especially in the goings-on in the Rostov and Bolkonsky families.
I can't say anything for this specific translation, as it's the only one I've read, other than I thought it was beautifully done. Reviewers who've read other translations name this one (by Richard Pevar and Larissa Volokhonsky) as the best to date.
My only complaint with War and Peace would be with the Epilogue (Part II, specifically) and the Appendix. Really, I'd say War and Peace is a magnificent book with a rather unfortunate Epilogue.
But all in all, I loved it.
It seemed to her that something heavy, throbbing rhythmically, was beating on all the walls of the cottage: it was the pounding of her own heart, sinking with fear, breaking with terror and love. (p. 917)
The book follows Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812 and the cast of characters includes emperors and royalty, nobility, peasants, soldiers, ladies at court, etc. and Tolstoy writes them all just amazingly. Somehow, not only are these people expressed effectively, but the culture of their "groups" and the joys and pains that are so very specific to them are as well. War and Peace is written in such a way that you can't help but be pulled into these people's lives and their times. They are all searching for something - a leader, a direction, a religion, an answer, - and the journeys are rewarding. Among the characters, special emphasis is placed on Pierre Bezuhkov, an illegitimate heir to a multi-millionaire; Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, a member of the nobility who leaves his wife behind to join the war against Napoleon; and Natasha Rostov, a young daughter of a Russian count who is the interest of both Bolkonsky and Bezuhkov.
Tolstoy touches on history, theology, philosophy, ethics, politics, psychology, and military strategy. A huge portion of this work - I don't think it can be called a novel, exactly - is its insights on human nature, especially in the goings-on in the Rostov and Bolkonsky families.
I can't say anything for this specific translation, as it's the only one I've read, other than I thought it was beautifully done. Reviewers who've read other translations name this one (by Richard Pevar and Larissa Volokhonsky) as the best to date.
My only complaint with War and Peace would be with the Epilogue (Part II, specifically) and the Appendix. Really, I'd say War and Peace is a magnificent book with a rather unfortunate Epilogue.
But all in all, I loved it.
It seemed to her that something heavy, throbbing rhythmically, was beating on all the walls of the cottage: it was the pounding of her own heart, sinking with fear, breaking with terror and love. (p. 917)