Reviews

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

rsimizon's review against another edition

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

5.0

jess_mango's review

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4.0

The COVID-19 self-isolation finally gave me an opportunity to read Anna Karenina, which has been sitting unread on my shelf for probably close to a decade. I am glad that I finally got a chance to read it. I enjoyed the story but felt it was probably a couple of hundred pages too long.

19th century Russia. Anna is in a loveless marriage and enters into an affair. There is a lot of discussion of politics and philosophizing. If the story had been a bit more focused I probably would have enjoyed it more.

killu's review against another edition

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challenging emotional tense

4.75

millermn19's review

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challenging emotional funny reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

katizwitchy's review against another edition

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emotional tense medium-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

4.0

Ending feels a bit like "it was all a dream" which was kind of a bummer but hey still a banger novel

miacrystal2's review against another edition

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DNF’d at page 31

It’s not that I disliked it, I just don’t have the attention span to commit to reading this book right now. I do look forward to when I can pick it back up and actually dedicate the time it deserves to read.

kunjal_d's review

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

5.0

angelsrgorgeous's review

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5.0

I am SO wrapped up in this book. It is quite incredible.

I initially didn't know what to expect here and consequently put off reading this for years, however I'm thrilled that it has (so far) presented nothing inappropriate in the way of overt sexual material that would make me want to put it down. It's more an exploration of the landscape of human feeling, both in the more extreme circumstances that the affair(s) supply, as well as presenting a wide range of emotional explorations from within normal daily life. It paints an expansive portrait both of the emotional landscape, while also including many nuances of Russian life and thought at such a (philosophically) exciting time.

I don't feel any review I could write would do this book justice, but I'm purposely taking my time moving through the book as I feel there are small parts of me that have been bound up and made whole in its reading. Odd to write that and to not feel it's overdramatic.

What an elegant addition to world-class literature.
__________________
Finally finished - this book is so exquisite. It ends in such hope and beauty.

There is so much here that speaks to my soul.

rays_bookclub's review against another edition

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

3.5

amyeluned's review against another edition

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3.0

this was a struggle