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e_l_thompson 's review for:
War and Peace
by Leo Tolstoy
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book could have (and in my opinion should have) been split into two separate writings: one being the fictional story itself, the other being a treatise titled On Power. The fictional story was entertaining. It's length would not necessarily have proven to be a deterrent for me. The philosophical and theoretical arguments on power were repetitive to the point of eye-glazing boredom. The book's second epilogue, twelve chapters, didn't mention the fictional story at all. While I don't normally advocate for abridged versions of an author's works, in this case, I would. Reading an abridged version, consisting of the fictional story only, would not only save several hours of reading time, but would possibly make the fictional story even stronger.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Dementia, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Suicide attempt