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nerdie_kitten's review against another edition
4.0
Some scenes are so heartbreaking.. Inspite of its length book will always hold u tight and persuade to read further till u get all the answers.. No one could better describe russian aristocrat society than Tolstoy
syliu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
or10n's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.75
WOW this book was hard to finish. It felt more like several people's diaries than a purposeful story. Obviously, there IS a plot, but it takes a back seat to the mundane dragging of everyday life. I learned more about mushroom collecting, potato farming and horse racing than I really ever needed to know in order to understand a book that is supposedly about tawdry affairs. I know that for some people this book is greatly comforting or their favorite book ever, but for me, it was the perfect example of a novel that could turn someone off reading FOREVER. That sounds unduly harsh, so I want to make it clear that I DID NOT HATE THIS BOOK. I hated how much this book punished me for reading it. The story itself (all the hundreds of pages wasted on descriptions of uninteresting minutia aside) was interesting, critical and dramatic. However, it was 100% not worth the agony of reading what must certainly come in at number 2 of the top slowest books ever written. It takes its place right behind War and Peace (Tolstoy you can't keep getting away with this).
P.S. Word of advice to Tolstoy, next time you make a self-insert character, try to make him seem less whiny and pathetic.
P.S. Word of advice to Tolstoy, next time you make a self-insert character, try to make him seem less whiny and pathetic.
erikstl's review against another edition
5.0
It only took 6 weeks, but I finished it! Surprisingly good book.
vex97's review against another edition
3.0
Anna Karenina is piecewise a literary masterpiece, piecewise a complete, moralizing bore.
I'll start with what I didn't like: the Levin half of the story. I found Levin to be a neurotic and jealous hypocrite who was aware and guilty of his class privilege but abetted said privilege at every opportunity. Additionally, Levin was used as a vehicle for Tolstoy's patriarchal, pro-natalist, pro-marriage, pro-family, and pro-Christian views, all which I not only find disagreeable but also reprehensible to an extent. As a matter of fact, Tolstoy's outdated morals pervade throughout the text and renders female characters as nothing more than helpless and submissive. Take Kitty, for example. After her marriage to Levin, her character is relegated to a personality-less mother whose only role is to child rear. Another character who expressed Tolstoy's toxic views was Dolly. In her trip to see Anna at Vronsky's estate, Dolly realizes how terrible and suffering her life is because of her role as a submissive, child-rearing wife in charge of taking care of brats. But for whatever "spiritual" reason, she gets "her senses back" after her visit with Anna and accepts her role as a submissive wife. Indeed, you will never see a woman engaged in one of the many intellectual (and frankly boring) discussions dispersed throughout the book. And of course, one cannot ignore the elephant in the room—namely, throwing Anna "under the bus" for her decision to leave her unloving husband and pursue her own happiness. While I do agree with the lesson that the fulfillment of one's desires does not make one happy, I fail to see how Anna would be happier if she stuck with her dogmatic husband.
As to what I liked, the Anna and Vronsky part of the story is sublime. For more than a century, people have sung the praises of Tolstoy's story-telling for a reason. I won't go into too much people as others have expressed more clearly what exactly makes Tolstoy a great writer.
I'll start with what I didn't like: the Levin half of the story. I found Levin to be a neurotic and jealous hypocrite who was aware and guilty of his class privilege but abetted said privilege at every opportunity. Additionally, Levin was used as a vehicle for Tolstoy's patriarchal, pro-natalist, pro-marriage, pro-family, and pro-Christian views, all which I not only find disagreeable but also reprehensible to an extent. As a matter of fact, Tolstoy's outdated morals pervade throughout the text and renders female characters as nothing more than helpless and submissive. Take Kitty, for example. After her marriage to Levin, her character is relegated to a personality-less mother whose only role is to child rear. Another character who expressed Tolstoy's toxic views was Dolly. In her trip to see Anna at Vronsky's estate, Dolly realizes how terrible and suffering her life is because of her role as a submissive, child-rearing wife in charge of taking care of brats. But for whatever "spiritual" reason, she gets "her senses back" after her visit with Anna and accepts her role as a submissive wife. Indeed, you will never see a woman engaged in one of the many intellectual (and frankly boring) discussions dispersed throughout the book. And of course, one cannot ignore the elephant in the room—namely, throwing Anna "under the bus" for her decision to leave her unloving husband and pursue her own happiness. While I do agree with the lesson that the fulfillment of one's desires does not make one happy, I fail to see how Anna would be happier if she stuck with her dogmatic husband.
As to what I liked, the Anna and Vronsky part of the story is sublime. For more than a century, people have sung the praises of Tolstoy's story-telling for a reason. I won't go into too much people as others have expressed more clearly what exactly makes Tolstoy a great writer.
karinajperez's review against another edition
4.0
“I think...if it is true that there are as many minds as there are heads, then there are as many kinds of love as there are hearts.”
Tolstoy wrote for the masses<3
Tolstoy wrote for the masses<3
falchionm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death, War, Infidelity, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Grief, and Emotional abuse
haroonsherjan's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
clemencybelle's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
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
4.0