celeste57's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
If I was being snarky, my entire review of this behemoth would be:
“Too much war. Not enough peace. 2 stars.”
Alas, I can’t leave it there. I respect any novel that has stood the test of time to become a classic. And War and Peace is one of the first classics that comes to mind when you hear the term. It’s the literary Everest that many readers attempt to scale sometime within their lifetime. I’m glad to be able to say that I’ve conquered it, though it took me nearly a year to do so. However, I can’t say that I got very much out of it.
I’ve read many classics that I’ve absolutely loved. Some of them nearly life-changing. Frankenstein. Jane Eyre. A Little Princess. Mere Christianity. Anne of Green Gables. The Scarlet Pimpernel. A Christmas Carol. Murder on the Orient Express. The Picture of Dorian Gray. A Study in Scarlet. The Count of Monte Cristo. Les Miserables. But War and Peace will not joining those ranks. If I were to describe this book in one word, that word would be self-indulgent. The story would have been far more powerful if it had been condensed considerably, in my opinion.
The peacetime portions of the story, those following specific characters and their relationships, was fairly interesting. I did grow to care about many of this over the course of this insanely long book. The time we spent with them outside of the war could feel almost like Austen or Wharton or some such, though with admittedly less humor and style. However, these peacetime portions comprised maybe a quarter of the total story. The rest of dedicated to war.
I actually don’t mind reading about warfare. Some of my favorite authors write absolutely phenomenal battle scenes. However, War and Peace had more to do with the campaign than any actual fighting. When it comes to the politics of war, a peak behind the curtain might be interesting, but an extended stay is exceptionally tedious. I feel like I spent a decade behind the curtain.
I hope I never again read a book where the epilogue itself is a solid hundred pages, comprised of two parts and nearly thirty chapters. And the second part of said epilogue was a philosophical treatise on how war comes to be, and how we relate it for future generations. This was the worst portion of the book for me personally, because it was exceptionally boring and yet so close to being over. I’m glad that I didn’t give up, but mostly just because I respect myself for sticking with it. After disliking both this book and Crime and Punishment so strongly, I think I might have to just accept that Russian literature is not for me.
“Too much war. Not enough peace. 2 stars.”
Alas, I can’t leave it there. I respect any novel that has stood the test of time to become a classic. And War and Peace is one of the first classics that comes to mind when you hear the term. It’s the literary Everest that many readers attempt to scale sometime within their lifetime. I’m glad to be able to say that I’ve conquered it, though it took me nearly a year to do so. However, I can’t say that I got very much out of it.
I’ve read many classics that I’ve absolutely loved. Some of them nearly life-changing. Frankenstein. Jane Eyre. A Little Princess. Mere Christianity. Anne of Green Gables. The Scarlet Pimpernel. A Christmas Carol. Murder on the Orient Express. The Picture of Dorian Gray. A Study in Scarlet. The Count of Monte Cristo. Les Miserables. But War and Peace will not joining those ranks. If I were to describe this book in one word, that word would be self-indulgent. The story would have been far more powerful if it had been condensed considerably, in my opinion.
The peacetime portions of the story, those following specific characters and their relationships, was fairly interesting. I did grow to care about many of this over the course of this insanely long book. The time we spent with them outside of the war could feel almost like Austen or Wharton or some such, though with admittedly less humor and style. However, these peacetime portions comprised maybe a quarter of the total story. The rest of dedicated to war.
I actually don’t mind reading about warfare. Some of my favorite authors write absolutely phenomenal battle scenes. However, War and Peace had more to do with the campaign than any actual fighting. When it comes to the politics of war, a peak behind the curtain might be interesting, but an extended stay is exceptionally tedious. I feel like I spent a decade behind the curtain.
I hope I never again read a book where the epilogue itself is a solid hundred pages, comprised of two parts and nearly thirty chapters. And the second part of said epilogue was a philosophical treatise on how war comes to be, and how we relate it for future generations. This was the worst portion of the book for me personally, because it was exceptionally boring and yet so close to being over. I’m glad that I didn’t give up, but mostly just because I respect myself for sticking with it. After disliking both this book and Crime and Punishment so strongly, I think I might have to just accept that Russian literature is not for me.
cristinafm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
cheyenneisreading's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
It’s done it’s over it took me a month to read this book. And what a book it is. I’m exhausted. I enjoyed the parts about the lives of the Russians. The last chapter could have been left out if you asked me, but that’s probably because after 1000+ pages you get a bit weary but I did like part one of the epilogue.
Side note: I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who didn’t love the history lessons throughout the book, you’d be immersed in the story and then pages and pages of Napoleon this Napoleon that… so tiresome and distracting
It’s done it’s over it took me a month to read this book. And what a book it is. I’m exhausted. I enjoyed the parts about the lives of the Russians. The last chapter could have been left out if you asked me, but that’s probably because after 1000+ pages you get a bit weary but I did like part one of the epilogue.
Side note: I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who didn’t love the history lessons throughout the book, you’d be immersed in the story and then pages and pages of Napoleon this Napoleon that… so tiresome and distracting
_emanuel's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
seancesario's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
comfortfromwithin's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
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
meririvilla's review against another edition
4.0
AAAAAAQ finakmente lo termine la verdad es que las partes mas concentradas en la guerra no me encantaron, pero esto es una obra de arte tan llena de no solo las historias intertwined de tantos protagonistas pero tambien de la historia de la guerra y un analisis de la filosofia de la historia y el free will de la gente. Si que claro la historia se concentra alrededor de la clase aristocrata en lugar de la persona comun, que habra echo para una historia mucho mas diversa. Pero vamos aunque no me acuerde de muchos delos detalles del principio, me he enamorado de sus vidad, y natasha y madame bourgogne y las mujeres sobre todos tiene un lugar permanrnte en mi corazon. La muerte del prince andrew tambien fue to damm. Pero me encjto, no se si lo recomendaria pqes un tocho wuevo leyendo ya por meses pero les quiero muchito.
tamara_mousa's review against another edition
5.0
There is a summary about it in my blog - https://www.tamarayousefmousa.com/