A review by elronds
First Love by Ivan Turgenev

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

“i burnt as in a fire in her presence, but what did i care to know what the fire was in which i burned and melted? it was enough that it was sweet to burn and melt.”

man, how i love afflicting, melancholic tales! turgenev’s first love is a wistful depiction of, as the title suggests, a first, young love that persists, and remains, and haunts. i really liked turgenev’s writing style, softer and subtler than that of his contemporaries; which i found perfect for portraying not only vladimir’s infatuation with zinaida and idealization of love but also, how both of these change and evolve, making him, in turn, change and evolve through the experiencing of love and heartbreak.

overall, i enjoyed this a lot. it is short, but still layered and complex, and it really makes me want to delve further into turgenev’s work.