Reviews with content warning for Terminal illness - The Death of Ivan Ilych

A truly beautiful short story on the experience of death from Tolstoy's own reflection upon faith and religion. I could do without the incredibly repetitive and mundane introduction which makes up half the length of the book. Tolstoy's transformative writing really gets dragged down by Blythe's surface level and faux deep analysis of a text which plainly puts everything at your feet already. I appreciate the real historical context as to what Tolstoy's life was when writing the story though.

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venusynth's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

A quick and somber read. It helped me realise the enigmatic nature of death, and nudged me to just appreciate the here and now. Not quite as impactful but I still enjoyed following Ivan to his death, as sadistic as that may sound, because I liked how Tolstoy wrote Ivan's disbelief, fear, and the myriad of emotions that come with realising that the only reason he is suffering is an impending death.

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catnip's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is a book about a man dying.
It’s about terminal illness and isolation in dying moments. It’s painfully honest.
And I’m giving it a 5-star review. Yep. I’m fine and sober. Maybe too sober. Lol

I devoured this in one sitting. It’s a very short read and it’s also fast-paced. I like that it’s straight to the point: you’re wrong if you think you’re living your best life because you did everything that’s expected of you.

Stop sabotaging your best life by gaining approval from people who are not even gonna show up and hold your hand in your deathbed.

And also, maybe let’s stop denying the inevitability of death?

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bethantg's review against another edition

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dark inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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mrbean's review against another edition

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dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

The Death of Ivan Ilych is a sombre, satirical thanatography that is rife with philosophical insight and serves as a timeless cautionary tale on how not to live one's life. Tolstoy's examination of Ivan's illness has metaphorical significance. The juxtaposition of the character's ailment to that of society's chronic malady, i.e., keeping up appearances, provides tremendous insight into human nature. As Ivan's impending death approaches, the realisation of the character's mortality gives life poignant depth and a dimension to meaning—one of substance and deep connections—making it possible to live authentically, even on the verge of death.

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ephemeral_remi's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

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nuii's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Haunting depiction of dying, the fear and agony of such process and of death itself. It's not easy to read, and there's much to reflect on. I can't quite say I enjoyed it, but in ways I'm glad to have read it as it is thought provoking.
However, watch out for the depressiveness this may evoke.

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