I read ANNA KARENINA for a TBR potluck activity in my online book club, The Reading Cove.
This translation is said to be the most accessible to date, and while it wasn't perfect (there are a few awkward sentences) I would agree!
The story starts off in a very engaging way. You're pulled right into a 19th century Russian family drama, involving adultery - a wandering husband, a heartbroken wife, and, or course, their young children. And as the story progresses, we meet the title character, Anna Karenina. However, we also meet another principle character in Konstantin Levin.
For me, the narrative had peaks and valleys. It was two-fold. There were eye-glazing indulgences in the political, agricultural, economical and religious issues of the day; contrasted by what I can easily classify as a glorified Russian soap opera!
Let's just say that you have to be patient with this story, it's not in a hurry...but when things happen, boy, do they happen! At times my eyes were on sticks with some of the characters' actions, I could hardly believe it!
It's a book I enjoyed for the most part, and I'm very glad to have finally read. I can understand and appreciate why it's endured so well over the years. Anna Karenina may not have been a woman who deserved to be the focal point of an entire book, but the story is about so much more than her capricious emotional whims. It explored several characters in great depth, and focused on contrasting the relationships; I enjoyed the various interrelationship quirks among the players: Levin, Kitty, Anna, Vronsky, Alexei, Seryozha we get into to their heads, and from there, we see the world.
Overall, I give ANNA KARENINA a B-.
★
(¯`·.·´¯) (¯`·.·´¯)
`·.¸(¯`·.·´¯)¸ .·
×°× ` ·.¸.·´ ×°×
This translation is said to be the most accessible to date, and while it wasn't perfect (there are a few awkward sentences) I would agree!
The story starts off in a very engaging way. You're pulled right into a 19th century Russian family drama, involving adultery - a wandering husband, a heartbroken wife, and, or course, their young children. And as the story progresses, we meet the title character, Anna Karenina. However, we also meet another principle character in Konstantin Levin.
For me, the narrative had peaks and valleys. It was two-fold. There were eye-glazing indulgences in the political, agricultural, economical and religious issues of the day; contrasted by what I can easily classify as a glorified Russian soap opera!
Let's just say that you have to be patient with this story, it's not in a hurry...but when things happen, boy, do they happen! At times my eyes were on sticks with some of the characters' actions, I could hardly believe it!
It's a book I enjoyed for the most part, and I'm very glad to have finally read. I can understand and appreciate why it's endured so well over the years. Anna Karenina may not have been a woman who deserved to be the focal point of an entire book, but the story is about so much more than her capricious emotional whims. It explored several characters in great depth, and focused on contrasting the relationships; I enjoyed the various interrelationship quirks among the players: Levin, Kitty, Anna, Vronsky, Alexei, Seryozha we get into to their heads, and from there, we see the world.
Overall, I give ANNA KARENINA a B-.
★
(¯`·.·´¯) (¯`·.·´¯)
`·.¸(¯`·.·´¯)¸ .·
×°× ` ·.¸.·´ ×°×
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