A review by laurenleigh
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Giving myself major props for finishing my first Tolstoy! It’s easy to feel intimidated by big long classics, but I found Anna Karenina to be very readable and quite engaging. The chapters are short, which keeps the pace moving, and Maggie Gyllenhaal‘s conversational narration made it easy to keep all the characters straight. I was struck by how relatable these characters were. I have no idea what it’s like to be Russian nobility in the 1850’s, but I do know what it’s like to feel jealousy, doubt, fear, joy, and love. The novel deeply explores jealousy in particular, in all its frustrating futility. Tolstoy masterfully captures all these human emotions. I know some folks have issues with this Constance Garnett translation, but on the whole, I found it beautiful. (I could see myself reading this again with a different translation; that’s how much I liked it!) Garnett could have translated more of the French for me, sure, but Tolstoy’s rich imagery, similes, and symbolism truly shined. I loved the part where Levin compares marriage to a little boat off in the distance, for example. From afar, it looks like the boaters are having a sweet, peaceful time on the water, but once you’re in the boat, there’s a lot more rowing and balancing and focus needed to keep the thing afloat. I was also blown away by the scenes where Kitty gives birth. I could so feel Levin’s intense anxiety and joy. Truly a powerful piece of literature!
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