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I have quite mixed feelings about this book. I did enjoy reading it and will likely read more Russians but found it a bit odd and inconsistent to say the least. It struck me as strange that it was such a long book divided up into such short chapters. I found this to be quite jumpy in places and interrupted the flow of reading, it made it much harder to get engrossed in places where the point of view kept changing so quickly. I however, did really enjoy the characterisation and the ability to see into the character's mind and motivation. I found this to be much more personal and insightful than English literature from this period (later coming in Wells and Hardy). To me this was definitely a book about characters, and what they did. I think when they were doing interesting things I enjoyed the book, but when they were being a bit dull (for instance farming or hunting) it just felt like it was dragging and I found myself skimming until the scene changed. It was definitely a book where not much happened. I think I could have done with a little bit more of a plot, or some driving force beyond simply Anna's adultery and Levin's search for a wife/happiness. Which while I love such things in Kerouac here they just all seemed to go on a bit too long. I feel parts were definitely stronger than others, perhaps it was a victim of the years of revision that Tolstoy put it through.
I found the end to be most disappointing, Anna's madness felt a little forced. I would have liked to have seen more of a gradual fall into madness, but I suppose at the time, an adulterous woman having given up her son was all that needed to be said to explain her doom and total unhappiness. After that I wanted more of a reaction to her fate, but everyone seemed to carry on as normal. Levin's sudden religious conversion also felt odd and forced. Though I did really enjoy the parts at the end on the train. Actually I quite liked all the parts on the train, in particular Anna's meeting of Vronsky on the platform was totally surreal and dreamlike and lovely.
As I said a mixed reaction, parts I really liked, parts I didn't. I think I shall definitely have to read some more Russians though. I did like all the political discussions. It was interesting to see how easy and natural communism seemed. I liked the casual discussion on the rights of women, and their education. But could have done without the long discourses on farming!
I found the end to be most disappointing, Anna's madness felt a little forced. I would have liked to have seen more of a gradual fall into madness, but I suppose at the time, an adulterous woman having given up her son was all that needed to be said to explain her doom and total unhappiness. After that I wanted more of a reaction to her fate, but everyone seemed to carry on as normal. Levin's sudden religious conversion also felt odd and forced. Though I did really enjoy the parts at the end on the train. Actually I quite liked all the parts on the train, in particular Anna's meeting of Vronsky on the platform was totally surreal and dreamlike and lovely.
As I said a mixed reaction, parts I really liked, parts I didn't. I think I shall definitely have to read some more Russians though. I did like all the political discussions. It was interesting to see how easy and natural communism seemed. I liked the casual discussion on the rights of women, and their education. But could have done without the long discourses on farming!