Reviews

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

drako1357's review against another edition

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4.0

Ana Karenina es una novela escrita por el autor ruso León Tolstói y publicada por primera vez en 1877. Es considerada una de las obras maestras de la literatura rusa y de la literatura mundial. La novela explora las complejidades de las relaciones humanas, la sociedad y la moralidad en la Rusia del siglo XIX.

La novela se centra en la vida de Ana Karenina, una mujer casada y respetable que se involucra en una apasionada y prohibida historia de amor con el apuesto oficial de caballería, el Conde Alexei Vronski. La novela también sigue la vida de otros personajes, como Konstantín Levin, un terrateniente y filósofo.

Tolstói utiliza la historia de Ana y Vronski para explorar temas como la búsqueda de la felicidad, el conflicto entre el deber y el deseo, la alienación social y la naturaleza cambiante de la sociedad rusa. A través de los personajes y sus interacciones, el autor ofrece una visión aguda de la moralidad y las convenciones sociales de la alta sociedad rusa del siglo XIX.

La obra también es conocida por su estilo literario magistral y su profundidad psicológica en la caracterización de los personajes. Tolstói utiliza una narración en tercera persona que permite al lector acceder a los pensamientos y emociones de los personajes.

Ana Karenina es una obra que ha perdurado a lo largo del tiempo y ha sido adaptada en numerosas ocasiones en diferentes formas de arte. Su influencia en la literatura y la cultura es innegable, y sigue siendo un referente fundamental en la literatura clásica universal.

kristen107's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

mikayla02's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

Acclaimed for a reason.

macyashby's review against another edition

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3.0

Personally, I thought Anna was terribly dull. Her love story wasn't believable to me. I did like the other side story, thought it was much more romantic and believeable.

lara_m2022's review against another edition

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Started reading something else, plan on going back to it at some point 

ana_rooth's review against another edition

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3.0

Anna Karenina makes me frown, I enjoy reading Tolstoy, but this novel really is a mixed bag for me. I found myself irritated when reading about Anna and Vronsky, but I always looked forward to reading about Levin. Maybe I'll re-read sometime (and a different translation, matters more than you think), and hopefully it will land better, but for now...

beauvoirismo's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

glowcalamari's review against another edition

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so long and i was busy

morrman's review against another edition

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5.0

I read the translation by Constance Garnett.

An excellent book. To me, it is a long, perambulating meditation on 'action versus inaction'. Despite the fact that Levin is obviously a self-insert, each character's inner dialogue reflects a unique personality and, a lot of the time, hits almost too close to home. The different perspectives offered in this way create an ensemble of almost real human beings.

Thoughts are powerful. They allow us to recede from the world (Levin), to control the world (Anna) and to understand the world (amongst other things). However, our own thoughts are not to be taken as greater than the natural world, or that they in some way influence the natural world. In fact, we should offer up our thoughts such that the only influence upon them is the natural world.

Thinking about thoughts (meta-thought?) is unnatural, and is the reason for Levin's and Anna's suicidal mindset. It precedes Vronsky's suicide attempt. It is also the reason for Stiva's one and only moment of great depression when being lectured by Countess Lidia. Getting caught up in one's own thoughts necessarily causes a spiral of anxiety, which leads to inaction.

Action, or "living for one's soul", is the natural state of man according to Tolstoy. After 800 pages of Anna Karenina, I think he may have convinced me of this.

roxyroxoo's review against another edition

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5.0

I'm in love with this book ❤️

oh, I truly love Levine with all my heart ❤️