Reviews with content warning for Suicide - Anna Karenina

Mich hat ein Bauchgefühl zu Anna Karenina gezogen, als ich im Buchladen war, um eigentlich etwas anderes zu besorgen. Irgendetwas hat mich zu ihr gerufen, und es hat mich nicht losgelassen, bevor ich die letzte Seite gelesen hatte. Ich war von Anfang an im Bann des Buchs. Die Art, wie Tolstoi Menschen und Gesellschaften in all ihrer Feinheit erkennt und beschreibt, wie nah einem diese Menschen werden, die oberflächlich so gar nichts mit einem selbst zu tun haben. Man sollte meinen ein 1300-seitiges Buch fiele einem schwer, zumal es in einer anderen Zeit geschrieben wurde. Doch es fällt leicht, und es ist wirklich ein Meisterwerk in all seinen Details. Ich wünschte ich könnte nur eine Seite so schreiben, wie die schlechteste in diesem Buch.

Content Warnings

jinkis_grrrl's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-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

5.0

Content Warnings

ohennui's review against another edition

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reflective medium-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

4.0

Content Warnings

jacss's review against another edition

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challenging emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Vexation! Bad communication! Beautiful toilets! Misogyny! Racism! Classicism! God vs Science ponderings! Carriages! Maids! High-School level emotional intelligence! *slaps book* This bad boy has it all, in just shy of 1000 pages!

... when it could've achieved the same in 300 pages likely - it was clear he got paid by the word. I was supposed to read this for a January book club (it is now September), but was unable to get even half way. At some point I started listening to the audiobook on Nextory just to be able to finish it.

The repetition of similar situations, but with different people made it feel like I was reading fillers, but not the main story and it was unclear as to what the main story actually was - despite the title. I think that this in part has to do with the Levin chapters that, for 90% at least, could've been skipped, or set in a different story, but Leo had to worm his likeness into the story somehow, and in what better way than the melancholic philosopher with a soft spot for a young girl... anyway, some of his chapters were welcome respite from the Emma-esque juvenile approach to communication and yearning, so I'm sortof happy that the chapters were there.

Not to go into too much detail, but I hated how Anna did what she did (although, cyclical with the start of the book, so fitting) and how society looked upon the act, and looked upon her. Sure, she made some choices in her life that were, dubious, but to say she deserved what happened? Nah, she needed therapy and to tell her boyfriend's maman to butt out with her more eligible suitors. Was that possible then. Probably not. But deserving? Also no.

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