Scan barcode
anna_catherine73's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I absolutely adored this book, Anna and Vronsky’s tragedy was captivating. However I found most of Levin’s passages (particularly about farming) very mundane and dull - its a pity Tolstoy did not have an editor!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
reebeee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
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
4.75
What can I say about this novel that hasn't already been said? The slow pace and long page count pay off in the moving, detailed, realist prose and narrative. Much of the historical and social context went over my head, and I wish I had read this in a class or guided reading group to fully gasp its intricacies. While it's one of the best books I've read this year, it wasn't one that I always enjoyed reading, thus the slightly docked rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Racism and Antisemitism
madsness's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
One of my favorite books I read this fall. I truly think if you are going to choose a longer Tolstoy work that this is the one to go with. It's all about love, god, and truly one of the most insane breakdowns I've ever seen in my life. While the farming parts are oh-so-slow, I have to admit they are masterfully done. Take your time and try to chunk it out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Infidelity, Violence, and War
Minor: Racism, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
bookish_bry's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
Overall I enjoyed Anna Karenina. It had a lot of interesting and complex characters. I found each of them being my favorite at different points in the novel (except Vronsky whom I did not particularly like) and I found myself annoyed with them at different times.
The foreshadowing was done great. I especially liked how trains were constantly mentioned throughout the book foreshadowing Anna's eventual suicide. The horse metaphor was also pretty well done.
It did drag in some places, though really what can you expect from a book of this length, and while I understood the strategy behind the last part after Anna's suicide, Levin's revelation wasn't particularly interesting to me. I actually disagree with the choice to not share his spiritual thoughts with Kitty and think that could have been a more satisfying ending to me personally.
The foreshadowing was done great. I especially liked how
It did drag in some places, though really what can you expect from a book of this length, and while I understood the strategy behind the last part
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Grief and Classism
Minor: Sexism, Antisemitism, and War
Most of this book revolves around adultery and suicidal thoughts and actions.thomasdj's review against another edition
challenging
dark
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
edwardian_girl_next_door's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Drug abuse, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
celestialplant's review against another edition
reflective
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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Suicide
katybradley888's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
relaxing
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Violence and War
shellbell's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? Yes
4.25
I really enjoyed the dialogue in this book. With reading Fyodor Dostoevsky "The Brothers Karamazov" when both Tolstoy and Dostoevsky wrote about hints of Communism and to know the history of what happened is just so interesting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
cheuksin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I fully understand why they call this book one of the best books ever written. Before reading this book, I did not realise that it was the one of the longest books ever written. It took me three months to finish. I even had to completely re-read the first part because I didn’t understand it the first time, but then after that I was basically hooked.
However there are many characters and it’s easy to get them confused especially since there are 3 guys called Alexander. I would go in depth about each of the main characters but there are simply to many.
If you want a modern day comparison, it’s kind of like reading Bridgerton (I’ve only watched the show) or reign but more dramatic. I am still yet to watch the Anna Karenina movie, but I will soon just to see how they depict such a deeply complex story.
The only part that annoyed me wasThere were a few plot points that I felt weren’t fully completed. Like how did her husband and son react to her suicide???!?! This was heavily glossed over and instead replaced by Levin Constantine Dmitrich (Kostya)’s drawn out Monologue about Christianity
However there are many characters and it’s easy to get them confused especially since there are 3 guys called Alexander. I would go in depth about each of the main characters but there are simply to many.
If you want a modern day comparison, it’s kind of like reading Bridgerton (I’ve only watched the show) or reign but more dramatic. I am still yet to watch the Anna Karenina movie, but I will soon just to see how they depict such a deeply complex story.
The only part that annoyed me was
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt