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lorrakon's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.25
Anna Karenina is a profound and thought-provoking novel that, while challenging at times, rewards readers with its depth and complexity. Tolstoy’s masterful character development brings each individual to life, making their struggles and emotions feel incredibly real. The pacing is mostly slow, allowing for rich introspection and philosophical exploration, though it is punctuated by moments of intense drama and fast-paced action. While the title may seem misleading—suggesting a singular focus on Anna’s story—the novel is far more expansive, weaving together multiple narratives that explore themes of love, morality, and society. It’s no wonder this book is regarded as one of the greatest novels of all time.
dheinrich's review against another edition
5.0
Acclaimed by many as the world's greatest novel! & what an honor to say I have finished it!!! Finally!!! This was so much of my life but I loved it and I would do it again
genlynn's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.0
Classic tolstoy, like wading through cement but you're happy about. I must ammot i liked war and peace better, simply I found the plot in anna larenina like a slow train. Toasty does do a phenomenal job examining the human experience from various perspectives. I really enjoyed Levin's narrative, specifically when getting married and Kitty's birthing scenes. I did enjoy the contrast of plots between Oblansky and dolly/ vronsky and Anna, and Levin and kitty. It is truly a classic read however make sure to have a commentary and some spark notes up while reading as I found i had to look up different aspects of the plot. Overall well read but not as good as I thought it would be.
dannylelieveld's review against another edition
I read the book a couple of years earlier, and this time I just stopped reading altogether for a while and never got back into the story.
lisedelabie's review against another edition
5.0
"Een Russisch spreekwoord luidt: 'Andermans ziel is een en al duisternis'. Tolstoj dringt echter door tot in de verste uithoeken van andermans ziel. Veelal is het licht dat hij er laat schijnen liefdevol, soms ook genadeloos." (Uit het nawoord van Lourens Reedijk)
Tolstoj lezen vraagt wat geduld, maar ik heb erg genoten van de eerlijkheid van deze alwetende verteller. Een onverwachte verademing.
Tolstoj lezen vraagt wat geduld, maar ik heb erg genoten van de eerlijkheid van deze alwetende verteller. Een onverwachte verademing.
juliataylorhall's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.25
smithbp10's review against another edition
4.0
A little bit difficult to get through, but a compelling read. This book is rich in culture and philosophy, and some amazing character development. As I talked about it with my wife, it was interesting to find that the parts enjoyed the most, were the parts my wife found boring, and vise versa. It takes a truly talented writer to write to such a broad base of audiences. That said, this book will likely interest people who enjoy Literature with a capital "L". It is not for the casual reader.
kimsan33's review against another edition
3.0
It took me months to finish this book because it didn’t hold my interest, but it was still worth the read!! The plot lines were all interesting, but they all played out a little too slowly for my liking. There was a lot of positive and negative character development which I really appreciated.
oogledyboogledy's review against another edition
4.5
Why is Levin always vexed and perplexed only once