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Anna Karenina

Leo Tolstoy

Start date: August 1, 2018

Finish date: October 31, 2018

Discussion: 2018 RT Tournament of Books

Why we're reading this: Contender for the 2018 Tournament of Books, Round J
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What Members Thought

Jul 05, 2011 Christopher rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: russian, 19th-century, classics, favorites, 500-pages-or-more

In lieu of a proper review of my favorite book, and in addition to the remark that it would be more aptly named Konstantin Levin, I present to you the characters of Anna Karenina in a series of portraits painted by dead white men.

Anna Karenina (Lady Agnew of Lochnaw by John Singer Sargent)

Alexei Karenin (Portrait of Edouard Manet by Henri Fantin-Latour)

Alexei Vronsky (Study of a Young Man by John Singer Sargent)

Konstantin Levin (Robert Louis Stevenson and His Wife by John Singer Sargent

Kitty Sch ...more

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Dec 09, 2007 Sarah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-stars, 500-plus-pages, recommended-novels, 1001-list, russia, translation

You know, I’ve always admired this book – its bookness, its rectangularity. Dear Mother of God. . . so many pages. Within this jacket lie mittens, scarves, snow and mohair. Is that tobacco smoke I smell? Why, here’s the hope I lost in 1975! The trees milled to make this book surely went down singing like divas. There’s something contagious in the mood of it, the way its heft surrenders to my hands. Holding it, I fill with this book’s book–ishness. So, what was the plot again? This wasn’t the one ...more

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Dec 18, 2008 Sera rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, 1001-books, own, literary-fiction, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This classic by Tolstoy is a work of art in its own right. Although some critics disagree since so much of the book is based upon Tolstoy's first-hand experiences so that it cannot be art, I disagree. The book is timeless in not only how it portrays the meaning of love and life, as exhibted by Anna and Levin respectively, but also in its ability to capture the historical ongoings in pre-revolutionary Russia.

The stories of Anna and Levin occur simultaneously, and in around Part VI of the book, I This classic by Tolstoy is a work of art in its own right. Although some critics disagree since so much of the book is based upon Tolstoy's first-hand experiences so that it cannot be art, I disagree. The book is timeless in not only how it portrays the meaning of love and life, as exhibted by Anna and Levin respectively, but also in its ability to capture the historical ongoings in pre-revolutionary Russia.

The stories of Anna and Levin occur simultaneously, and in around Part VI of the book, I realized it's because the two characters have a number of parallels in regard to their existence. There is Vronsky, the man whom Kitty and Anna both fall in love. For Kitty, he almost ruins her life, but fortunately, Levin is there to help her bring her back and to live a fairly fulfilled life. Unfortunately, for Anna, Vronksy is the reason for her unraveling. I'm sure that some who read this book find Anna to been a whiny and somewhat loathsome character, whose insecurities as they relate to her realtionship with Vronsky to be grating. Yet, I attempted to put myself in the shoes of Anna so as to emphasize with her feelings, and once I did so, I could completely understand how she felt. This woman gave up everything for love, and what did she get in return? The loss of her son, alientation from society and the constant fear that she had made the wrong decision. I believe that the reason that Anna constantly needed assurance from Vronsky was because she wanted some type of confirmation that she had made the right choice.

Interestingly, after Anna leaves her husband for Vronsky, his life seems to take off, while her seems to stand still. Vronsky gains both economic and societal statuture, while she is left waiting in the wings. Is this Tolstoy's way of treating women differently from men for the same actions? I hate to think that, but it sure seems that way. Anna enjoys none of the benefits of her decision that Vronsky does, even though they both participated in the same indiscretion.

Levin is written to reflect Tolstoy the man. Tolstoy tells his political inclinations through this character, and although he is prone to have the same fate as Anna, he does not. In fact, he evolves and overcomes any limitations that he might have had. Again, are Tolstoy's views toward men more forgiving than women? The more that I think about this book, the more that I think that Tolstoy may have been somewhat of a sexist.

Nevertheless, this a fantastic read, well-written with expertly drawn characters that fully show all of their flaws and set in a context that provides a context of a nation that was about to come in the midst of great change.

...more

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Aug 18, 2010 Natalie Tyler rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

When I last read this novel, I was younger than any of the major characters. Today I am much older. I more clearly see how poignant delusions are. I am more like Karenin than any of the other characters.

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Dec 29, 2007 Meghan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: to-read-own, own, classics, russian, challenge, bookish

I don't think I can add much to what's already been said about this story. I enjoyed it. It is not as daunting a read as its reputation. It is long, but reads quickly and easily.

I do want to take a moment to say that I really appreciated Amy Mandelker's notes. For someone with no Russian literature or history background, I found her notes both helpful and educationally interesting. At times a tad redundant, she gives a thorough explanation on various subjects and phrases that enhanced my reading ...more

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