Scan barcode
gabbuz's review against another edition
4.0
Realistic, but oh-so-painful take on love.
The story is about Masha, a young unhappy girl who falls in love with a much older man. With him, her depression disappears. With her, he feels like a boy again. Their love is intense, exciting, and magical—life suddenly feels too good to be true. It is.
After they marry, things only change for the worse. What used to be heavenly becomes mundane. Masha gets bored and her depression makes a comeback. She seeks attention elsewhere. The man grows old in a little time—not only is he heartbroken, his wife is never at home. Their marriage becomes dull, yet they stay together.
Tolstoy, I believe, meant to show the difference between lust (elevated emotions), and love (commitment, duty, choice). But oh, how sad did he make love seem—merely a sacrifice for another, while both are mourning for days that cannot ever come back. Is it all there is?
It’s a book beautifully written, but there is something awfully sad about it, even though it ends nicely. If brutal realism doesn’t scare you, it’s worth reading it.
The story is about Masha, a young unhappy girl who falls in love with a much older man. With him, her depression disappears. With her, he feels like a boy again. Their love is intense, exciting, and magical—life suddenly feels too good to be true. It is.
After they marry, things only change for the worse. What used to be heavenly becomes mundane. Masha gets bored and her depression makes a comeback. She seeks attention elsewhere. The man grows old in a little time—not only is he heartbroken, his wife is never at home. Their marriage becomes dull, yet they stay together.
Tolstoy, I believe, meant to show the difference between lust (elevated emotions), and love (commitment, duty, choice). But oh, how sad did he make love seem—merely a sacrifice for another, while both are mourning for days that cannot ever come back. Is it all there is?
It’s a book beautifully written, but there is something awfully sad about it, even though it ends nicely. If brutal realism doesn’t scare you, it’s worth reading it.
muka98's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bolodemilho's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
xxonionxx's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
maiamiga's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Muy bien escrita esta breve novela que condensa la mayor parte de una vida contada en primera persona por una mujer bien retratada psicológicamente. Trata muy bien el paso del tiempo y el paisaje y la naturaleza están descritos de manera deliciosa, muy atmosférica. El final creo que es más esperanzador en la época que fue escrito que ahora en la actualidad, pero de todas formas se describen mentalidades y decisiones o psicologías interesantes a nivel de género.
empyrian's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
linamaria's review against another edition
4.0
En este corto texto, el autor ruso nos muestra a través de María Alexandrovna y Sergei Mijailich, las diferentes etapas del amor. Describe con precisión esos primeros sentimientos hacia el ser amado, esa alegría infinita cuando se descubre que los sentimientos son correspondidos y finalmente el sosiego que da el amor en una relación ya madura, una relación entre dos personas que saben perfectamente que las sensaciones impetuosas sentidas en los primeros meses no volverán, pero que reconocen la felicidad que trae el amor sereno que se construye con el paso de los años.
igru23's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated