“I believe that to understand love, one must first make a mistake and then correct it.”
- Anna Karenina by, Leo Tolstoy.
I finally finished this 963 page novel. This review is going to be a challenge, not only because of this book’s size, but because of its content. There is no way I’ll be able to express everything, without writing a 50-page thesis.
When I first started Anna Karenina, I thought it would mainly focus on Anna and her adulterous relationship with Count Vronsky. That is a significant part of the plot, BUT it’s so much more than that. Anna’s story is actually paralleled with Levin’s, and one could argue that this book could easily be titled “Constantine Dmítrich Levin.” There is a massive cast of characters (I’ll spare you...), who are all intertwined in some way. There is so much commentary about the state of Russia, both politically and socially, religion, the education system, family and relationships.
However, for the sake of space, if I had to sum up this book in one theme it would be, What is the Purpose of Life? Yes, that’s horribly cliché, but, that’s what Tolstoy is expressing here. You have Anna and Levin grapple with this concept the whole book. When they obtain what they’ve been seeking, that satisfaction still does not make the soul content. Both of these characters are unhappy and they are striving after fleeting happiness without understanding how to obtain deeper contentment and peace. Without spoiling anything, one grasps this concept and the other doesn’t.
Tolstoy does an excellent job writing about the human experience. There are characters that I didn’t initially like and then warmed up to, for example Anna’s husband, Karenin. I adored Kitty the whole novel; she has such a sweet and innocent temperament. My favorite is Levin, though he was very frustrating, his heart is in the right place. I didn’t like Anna at all; her desire to be with Vronsky, at the expense of her child, irritated me.
If you have the slightest desire to read Anna Karenina, go for it. It’s a commitment, but well worth the effort. I would consider this novel to be a masterpiece. If you like Madam Bovary, you may like this one as well; there are definitely similarities. I really feel my review hasn’t done Tolstoy’s work any justice, but needless to say, I really, really, really enjoyed Anna Karenina, and I can’t wait to dive into more Russian classics.
Rating: 5/5.
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Also pictured here:
- Tea: Earl Grey
- Handmade knit hats by yours truly.
- Diptyque Eau Duelle, one of my favorite fragrances. Spicy, vanilla and exotic.
- These epic leather gloves that I forgot I had in my drawer.
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