tibbarasden 's review for:

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

3.0

challenging slow-paced

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Okay, so first, I will start with the things I enjoyed before getting into a rant. I loved parts that opened up the discussion around class divide, gender expectations, and religion. I enjoyed a look at Russian society through the upper class lens. I did like Levin and Kitty, but... that leads me into my rant. I thought Levin and Kitty had one of the most realistic relationships, and the drama and misunderstandings made sense in the beginning. Towards the end, though, it felt like all the other relationships in this book, where they went back and forth on whether they loved or hated each other and had fights and jealousy that was just done for the sake of drama. Also, Levin felt like the main pov and character, and Anna was like a side character, so I am confused about why the book was titled after Anna as that led me to think going in that she would be the main person we follow. Anna herself and the men in her life are extremely unlikable and toxic. Anna herself is so wishy, washy, and creates her own drama, then blames it on others right up to the end. The way she treats her children is disgusting. I felt  for her husband until he used their son as a weapon and blamed him for his mother's sins. Veronsky was also dislikable, beginning with him and Kitty and then in his relationship with Anna. He really shouldn't be in a serious relationship. Dolly and Anna's brother felt like they were just used as a way to parallel Anna's adultery. I should have felt some empathy or sadness with how Anna's part of the story ended, but honestly the thought in my head was good riddance which shouldn't be the response for anyone in that situation, but as she is fictional and such a hateful character I stand by that thought. Without the soap opera relationships in this story or a focus on just Levin and Kitty along with the things I liked, I might have enjoyed this one way more.