A review by ska
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

funny reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

A beautiful, yet (at times) rather long and tiresome book. A classic slice of life story that details the trials of human existence in society and the struggle to find meaning and purpose. Furthermore it explores the consequences of failures in judgement, indulgence and the lack of empathy we show for one another for mistakes we may have reasonably made on our own. It touches on philosophical musings about the meaning of life and to whom which should turn to for answers and by what credibility we may give those people, thinkers, and institutions who purport to hold the answers to these elusive truths and our susceptibility to them. Overall I enjoyed this book, but I did feel that some sections were rather unnecessary (Levin and his agricultural pursuits) and that the book needn’t have been so long. But then again considering it’s intention to imitate life it is only fitting that one should it find the book rather long, boring, meaningless and elusive at times.