Lauren Macdonald’s Reviews > The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories: "The Raid", "Woodfelling", "Three Deaths", "Polikushka", "The Death of Ivan Ilyich", "After the Ball", "The Forged Coupon" (Penguin Classics) by Leo Tolstoy (28-Feb-2008) Paperback > Status Update
Lauren Macdonald
is finished
No one told me Ivan Ilyich was a trans girl… hit by a shotgun blast to the chest by this story, holy fuck. Death before detransition, I’m not going out like this guy, no way.
— Jul 14, 2026 10:45AM
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Lauren’s Previous Updates
Lauren Macdonald
is finished
Was really worried I would hate this, but I'm having a good time! This first story was like actually interesting and well written. I think I was sorta traumatised after Henry James' short story collection pulled my soul out through my nose (Bad!). I do like that even in the 1850s dudes were thinking war was futile and wrong, sorta an ever present idea I suppose.
— Apr 28, 2026 05:15AM