Reviews with content warning for Grief - War and Peace

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War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

10 reviews

timmytunter's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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

4.75

"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy is a monumental work that exceeded my lofty expectations and captivated me from start to finish. Tolstoy's mastery in detailing the inner workings of his characters' minds makes them incredibly relatable, despite their aristocratic context far removed from my own. Characters such as Andrey and Pierre particularly resonated with me due to the richness with which their thoughts, feelings, whims and dreams are rendered.

I approached this reading of "War and Peace" with the intention of consuming the story at a rapid pace, finishing the novel within 3 weeks. This approach helped me maintain continuity and grasp the complex narrative that spans a considerable period and shifts between various characters, locations, and themes. However, I plan to read it more slowly next time to fully marinate in the story and its concepts.

Tolstoy explores profound themes including the nature of history, the purpose of war, the concept of power, the quest for redemption, the importance of honour, and the role of religion. The theme of power and the role of leaders in shaping history, or rather their lack of control over it, particularly resonated with me. The theme of redemption drove me deeper into the book as I watched various characters undergo significant transformative arcs.

The historical context of the Napoleonic Wars is crucial to the narrative, grounding it in a time of great uncertainty and upheaval. It is true that Tolstoy's detailed military descriptions and philosophical reflections can be challenging, and indeed a bit rambling, but they are essential to forming this body of work, and without which, War and Peace would be lesser. Throughout the descriptive war portrayals, Tolstoy maintains a focus on the personal perspectives of individuals, which kept me engaged and connected to the action.

By the end of the book, I felt deeply for the trio of Andrey, Pierre, and Natasha, appreciating their transformations and struggles. Pierre's journey—marked particularly by his spiritual awakening during his imprisonment—was particularly moving, and Natasha's experiences of loss and love were heart-wrenching.

Having read Anna Karenina before War and Peace, I was surprised to find that the latter resonated more with me, in which I was more engrossed, enamoured with the characters, and engaged with Tolstoy’s philosophical musings. perhaps another valid comparison is between War and Peace and Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, penned just one year after. I find that, while both are doubtlessly literary masterpieces, Crime and Punishment edges it just slightly due to its fascinating exploration of a murderous protagonist’s mind and its profound themes of sin, guilt, repentance, forgiveness, and morality.

Nonetheless, I believe "War and Peace" is essential reading for everyone at least once in their life. Its exploration of timeless themes through richly drawn characters, coupled with its historical context and philosophical insights, make it a deeply rewarding and thought-provoking read.

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quotablehedgehog's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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nosey667's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"All is vanity, all falsehood, except that infinite sky. There is nothing, nothing, but that. But even it does not exist, there is nothing but quiet and peace. Thank God!..."
War and Peace: 2023-2024 reread.
I decided to reread this during the 2023 summer, until putting it on temporary hold and resuming (and finishing) in March 2024. Throughout my reread i wrote my thoughts at the end of each Volume with the intension of being able to track how my thoughts and focus's might change throughout the reread & also to compare with any future rereads i might carry out. I will type these out before summarising my overall thoughts & experience rereading the book. :)
--
Volume 1 (2023)
"You're afraid of the unknown, that's what it is. Whatever we may say about the soul going to the sky... we know there is no sky but only an atmosphere."
▸ im enjoying war scenes much more than i did initially. the fact that i already know all the characters, these scenes offer a lot towards their development and insights into their opinions, their ambitions and what they're like in general.
↳ one of the main examples i found was through Prince Andrei. I've found im seeing much more variation in his character which I hadn't taken note of in my first read. the war scenes really show his inner conflict and ambition, the confusion of what he wants for himself.
↳ I've also found the war scenes are a way for Tolstoy to communicate ideas on the absurdity of war and the superficial mindset of some of those fighting in it. e.g. page 303, a soldier pesters Rostov about his bravery, that despite his injury he continued fighting. clearly he just wanted to be recognised for his glory. this is similarly done in Nikolai's character, since he constantly wants to be recognised by the emperor and the higher classes (e.g. his argument with Andrei on p. 259).

▸ ive seen a lot of differences in Prince Andrei's character in general to how i saw him originally. when i first read Book 1 i remember thinking 'this guy is really grumpy, why do people like him?'. But this edition emphasises how really, hes just sad and purposeless, he feels stagnant i think. its already highlighting the mistakes he makes all throughout the book, repeatedly abandoning those who love him without realising the damage hes doing.

These were my main thoughts on Book 1 after rereading it. I remember Pierre and Natasha being much more present than they actually were; i guess that'll come more in the next part when the others return from the war.
--
Volume 2 (2023)
"one must try to make one's life as pleasant as possible. I'm alive; that is not my fault so I must live out my life as best I can, without hurting others."
On my first read, Book 2 was my favourite part of the whole novel. it contains romance between main characters, controversy and really really great character development. its as if the first book was just an introduction, and its in this part where we fully get to know them.

Obviously, the standout storyline is between Andrei, Natasha and Anatole. this begins with
my personal favourite part, the ball where Natasha and Andrei meet. i love their relationship, even if it doesnt last too long in the book.
i always used to debate who was to blame, which specific person i should hate for breaking the two characters apart. the reread however made it clear that not only is this not necessary, but that it's not possible. all three make mistakes that, when tied together, bring out the absolute worst in the others.

we start to see a repetition in Andrei's character throughout this part. the issue he seems to have is coming to peace with himself and appreciating those who love him, only to unknowingly throw this away.
I can't tell whether he finds more peace when alone at war, experiencing the atrocities of man, or when hes home with his loved ones. or maybe experiencing war is what allows him to appreciate what he has.

Pierre has similar issues with negative repetition. we watch him as he scrambles to find some way of explaining the lack of purpose he feels, some of these being through religion and alcoholism. unlike Andrei though, he doesn't seem to have these periods of peace.

maybe the title of War and Peace shouldn't be taken in the literal sense. the characters also endure periods of war and peace with themselves morally and emotionally.
--
Volume 3 (2024)
"Gazing at the high starry sky, at the moon, at the comet, and at the glow from the fire, Pierre experienced a joyful emotion. 'There now, how good it is, what more does one need?'
(Started reading Book 3 after a long break so my memory is a bit iffy).
Structure
> Book 3 is the first one in which Tolstoy starts discussing history and philosophy with us (and, of course, a lot of war stuff). I don't particularly mind/dislike this? Sometimes it's tedious, but i'm finding that each time i come back to War and Peace, I focus on different stuff, and in this section and time (March 2024) i'm enjoying his narration and view on history.
> Again, the war sections are sometimes tedious (especially since Volume 2 was so 'home' centric), but i enjoyed them more than on my first read. I'm quite interested in Kutuzov and the impact of Napoleon's invasion this time round.

Characters
> Natasha and the Rostovs don't seem to have as much of a role in Volume 3 - i suppose this illustrates the aristocracy's (lack of) role in war, though this of course is predominantely a case for the females.
> Pierre and Andrei, of course, are in the middle of acting on their leitmotifs.

I forgot about Pierre's quest to kill Napoleon

- his searches for self-worth get increasingly ridiculous throughout. Andrei's seem more obviously harmful since his boredom in safety has (almost) gotten him killed at this point.
>

i'm wondering about the reactions to Kutuzov's death soon, as i didn't focus on this on my first read.

--
Volume 4 (2024)
"She did not know and would not have believed it, but beneath the layer of silt that covered her soul and seemed to her impenetrable, delicate young shoots of grass were already sprouting, which, taking root, would so cover with their living verdure the grief that weighed her down that it would soon no longer be seen or noticed. The wound had begun to heal from within."
I felt very character focused during this section - didn't enjoy the war & philosophy chapters as much (likely because of their placement

- Andrei dying and straight to war and historical discussion after doesn't sit right with me,

kind of takes you out of the moment).
I really enjoyed the emphasis and change in Marya & Natasha's relationship in this part. I would enjoy if they became friends earlier, but also it's sweet that they are brought together in grief.
I am not a fan of the ending.

Not because I dislike Pierre and Natasha together - I don't like how it's carried out. It seems really rushed and abrupt, and i'm finding myself disappointed that Pierre doesn't actually ask her, Marya does it for him.

it's an important section for character development and the effects of grief among the war - I just with it hadn't been a rushed and randomly broken up by historical chapters as it was. Basically, i would have enjoyed a more balanced ratio of philosophy-fiction, and one which didn't break up character storylines which felt important with philosophical discussion.
--
Epilogue (2024)
"You know,' he added, stopping at the door, 'why i'm especially fond of that music? It is always the first thing that tells me all is well."
The fictional half of the epilogue is, i think, necessary for some nice character storyline wrap-ups. i enjoyed catching up with what the characters are doing many years later, however i do feel there are some weird loose ends, or parts which didn't sit right with me at least.
Natasha and Pierre's relationship i found a little problematic this time round. Natasha's character throughout the book really stuck out to me, with her exciting personality and energy, but this is extremely pushed down in the epilogue. it has only been six years since Volume 4, and yet she now acts as Pierre's 'slave' and has completely abandoned music, society, dress, as she did during Volume 2 & 3? I find this really disappointing. While it could point towards her maturity, her being able to settle down with Pierre, i didn't like this development at all.
I also feel disappointed with Sonya's ending, who basically didn't have any satisfactory conclusions at all. Its really unfortunate that she continues living with Nikolai and Marya, neither of whom like her or enjoy her company. It just seems a little unfair.
-----
Overall thoughts
I think i got much more from this book upon a reread. This is the type of book which every time you reread it, you get something different out of it, or find yourself focusing on a different theme, set of characters, or storyline. The first half of my reread in 2023 found me focusing very much on the characters and their relationships, primarily Andrei and Natasha. Upon re-experiencing, Natasha has likely replaced Andrei as my favourite character (i noticed his flaws a lot more this time around), and i didn't seem to focus on Pierre's character as much as i did on my first read, though i didnn't that much either. Next time, i would like to focus more on Pierre and his path to discovering self-worth and his methods in achieving it. I feel i understand Andrei's character much more than i do Pierre's.

During my 2024 reading i had started reading a lot of scholarly papers on the novel, its structure especially. I want to focus on this a lot more in my next reread in the summer, as well as how Tolstoy depicts the Napoleonic wars and their effects on aristocratic society. I did notice after reading them the odd structure of the book, especially during Volume 3 & 4, where important character events were often disrupted by philosophical and historical discussion, which was distracting to say the least.

Obviously, this book is worth a reread. You probably don't get better than Tolstoy. The character's are crafted in a way that is so complex, so lovable, and so human, that i think about them every day. I sadly doubt anything can top this. While i can continue to love modern characters, to follow new storylines and new books, i will, without a doubt, keep coming back to this one and the amazing people i met in reading it.

Content Warnings

ggcd1981's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Ler War and Peace foi um desafio para mim, não só porque é um clássico bastante longo, mas também pela forma como foi escrito. A obra mostra o panorama da vida da alta sociedade russa durante os avanços e consequente guerras napoleônicas. O livro lança luz sobre a vida de alguns personagens chave, para a narrativa senão para a História mundial, ao longo dos anos de duração da campanha de Napoleão na Rússia. Os principais desses personagens são:

Pierre Bezukhov - O filho ilegítimo corpulento, desajeitado de um velho nobre russo. Pierre, educado no exterior, retorna à Rússia desajustado. Sua herança inesperada da grande fortuna de seu pai o torna socialmente desejável. Pierre é enredado pela caçadora de fortunas Helene Kuragina, cuja eventual traição o deixa deprimido e confuso, estimulando uma busca espiritual que abrange todo o romance. Pierre eventualmente se casa com Natasha Rostova.

Andrew Bolkonski - O filho inteligente, disciplinado e ambicioso do comandante militar aposentado Príncipe Bolkonski. Andrew é friamente analítico e resistente a questões emocionais. Solitário após a morte de sua esposa, Lise, com quem teve um filho, ele se apaixona por Natasha, mas não consegue perdoar a paixão momentânea dela por outro homem, Anatole. No leito de morte ele a perdoa. Sua morte deixa para trás seu filho com sua irmã Maria e gera uma forte amizade entre esta e Natasha.

Maria Bolkonskaya - A filha solitária, simples e sofredora do príncipe Bolkonski e irmã de Andrew. A princesa Maria cuida do pai, suportando o tratamento cruel com o perdão cristão. No final, Nicholas Rostov casa-se com Maria e salva-a de uma solidão infeliz.

Natasha Rostova - A filha viva, irreprimível e consequentemente mimada da família Rostov, que encanta a todos que conhece. Eu diria que a principal das personagens femininas. Natasha se apaixona por uma série de homens e então se compromete seriamente com Andrew, embora ela arruíne o relacionamento ao se envolver em um breve encontro com Anatole Kuragin. Eventualmente, Natasha se casa com Pierre e se torna uma matrona corpulenta e desleixada.

Nicholas Rostov - O impetuoso filho mais velho de Rostov, que se junta às forças russas em 1805 e passa grande parte do romance no front. Nicholas acumula dívidas de jogo que se tornam onerosas para sua família. No entanto, vemos seu compromisso com a família após a morte do pai, quando ele sustenta a mãe e a prima Sonya com seu parco salário, enquanto continua a pagar as dívidas da família. Nicholas eventualmente se casa com a herdeira Maria, salvando sua família da ruína financeira.

Como pontos negativos do livro destaco poucos: O primeiro é a forma como Tolstoi introduziu muitos personagens relevantes, mas apesar de quão longo o livro é, sua escrita não me fez me apegar a nenhum. Mesmo os personagens principais não são realmente aprofundados emocionalmente. Outros inúmeros personagens secundários para história são apresentados, passamos um tempo razoável com eles nos levando a crer que estes serão importantes para a narrativa, porém eles são deixados para trás e são pouco ou nada mencionados na segunda metade do livro; O segundo ponto fraco é um gosto pessoal meu e contradiz um pouco minha primeira reclamação. Eu acredito que o texto foca demais Natasha Rostova. Ela é por muito do livro voluntariosa e mimada e sua narrativa parece supérflua diante da realidade da guerra. Suas paixonites, sua angustia diante de ter de esperar para casar com Andrew no lugar de casar imediatamente como gostaria, sua traição do mesmo por uma paixão temporária. Diante do contexto maior da obra sua narrativa parece tola e enervante; Meu terceiro ponto fraco também é uma questão de gatilhos pessoais meus, o livro figura crueldade contra animais e morte de animais. Não gosto disso apesar de compreender que essa era a realidade daquele tempo e contexto histórico.

Como ponto positivo principal do livro cito as reflexões que Tolstoy faz em alguns capítulos ao longo do livro e em especial no segundo epilogo. O autor fala do enigma da história no abstrato e filosófico Segundo Epílogo, refletindo sobre o poder humano. O poder, que ele define como a vontade coletiva do povo transferida para um governante, é o único motor identificável que impulsiona a história. Mas esse poder é impossível de definir, por isso o mistério da história é insolúvel. É impossível explicar completamente porque as coisas aconteceram como aconteceram, pois, segundo o autor, líderes não tomam outra decisão senão aquela imposta a eles pelas circunstâncias, e essas circunstâncias são estabelecidas por uma infinidade de outras circunstâncias advindas do movimento do povo. O enigma da mudança histórica implica a questão teológica sobre o livre arbítrio e até que ponto qualquer indivíduo é verdadeiramente livre nas suas ações, quaisquer que sejam as suas ilusões de liberdade. Segundo o narrador, é tão impossível imaginar a liberdade total quanto imaginar o determinismo total. Ao final, o autor expõe a ideia de que devemos necessariamente depender de um poder do qual não temos consciência. Esta ideia equivale ao reconhecimento de que, embora o nosso sentido de liberdade seja indispensável, também o é a nossa compreensão reprimida de que fazemos parte de algo maior do que nós mesmos, uma força que move as nossas vidas para a frente. A narrativa das vidas dos personagens de War and Peace não foram particularmente interessantes para mim, mas os capítulos com as reflexões de Tolstoy sobre guerra, poder, História, livre arbítrio entre outros temas abstratos e filosóficos elevaram a nota do livro para mim, dou 3.75 estrelas.

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