rachelmnly's review against another edition
challenging
slow-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? It's complicated
4.0
colourmeread's review against another edition
4.0
"We imagine that as soon as we are torn out of our habitual path all is over, but it is only the beginning of something new and good. As long as there is life, there is happiness. There is a great deal, a great deal before us.”
I didn't think I'd make it to the end! I started War and Peace to challenge myself and read this well-known and beloved classic. This book, while very readable, can be challenging to get through. Just when I found myself getting into the story, Tolstoy would direct my attention to topics or events I didn't always find interesting. My main issue with War and Peace was its length and Tolstoy's tendency to ramble. I would have loved to hear the man speak his thoughts, beliefs, and ideas, but having them in the book sometimes felt too much.
There are also a lot of characters in this book which made it quite confusing in the beginning. Significant characters were mentioned often enough though, so I was soon able to keep track of who was who.
To sum it up, I loved War and Peace. There is so much to this book. Other than the obvious topics on war, peace, and history, Tolstoy touched on themes of love, family, power, ambition, loss, and death. His ability to write about human nature continues to amaze me because his characters feel quite real. It's as if he was an invisible observer from 1805 to 1813, going all over Russia spying and documenting the lives of certain families. Soon enough, I became invested. And oh did I feel a lot of things! I was mad, happy, hopeful, and hurt.
Would I recommend War and Peace? Absolutely. But be patient with it. It's long and it can be dry sometimes, but there are many things to pick up from it.
balthazarlawson's review against another edition
1.0
War And Peace is not a novel.
I read somewhere that Russian books don’t translate well into English and their style of writing is usually dull and boring to an average English reader. This book is a classic example of this point of view.
This book was dull. It was boring and didn’t know what it wanted to be. It seemed that when Leo Tolstoy sat down to write this he had so many ideas running around his mind and he just had to get them all out and put down on paper. The result was War And Peace.
At times this is an episode of Days Of Our Lives, an essay on the quality of historians, a biography of military leaders or a non-fiction book about war. It just didn’t know what it wanted to be. It ended up being so dull and boring and absolutely ridiculous.
I would not recommend this to anyone. It is just so pointless.
I read somewhere that Russian books don’t translate well into English and their style of writing is usually dull and boring to an average English reader. This book is a classic example of this point of view.
This book was dull. It was boring and didn’t know what it wanted to be. It seemed that when Leo Tolstoy sat down to write this he had so many ideas running around his mind and he just had to get them all out and put down on paper. The result was War And Peace.
At times this is an episode of Days Of Our Lives, an essay on the quality of historians, a biography of military leaders or a non-fiction book about war. It just didn’t know what it wanted to be. It ended up being so dull and boring and absolutely ridiculous.
I would not recommend this to anyone. It is just so pointless.
hollydunndesign's review against another edition
3.0
The third book in my epic novel challenge, this wasn’t something that I ever thought I would get around to reading, but I’m so glad that I did. The way that Tolstoy threads together the scenes of war with the scenes of peace and his chapters on the philosophy of history is utterly masterful. That said, I did find the war scenes challenging to read, and particularly difficult to picture. I couldn’t map out the battles in my head. The peace scenes on the other hand were fascinating to me. I got quite attached to some of the characters, and the length and scope of the novel allows for great character development. This book has stuck around for good reason. It’s well worth reading once you get around to it.
tamaralgage1's review
4.0
Just how do I sum up my thoughts on over 1,200 pages. A book title that has been used in bad jokes for as long as I can remember. Let me say that the jokes are not deserved. Yes this is a very long book and I had to take notes to keep track of who was who over the several months it took me to complete it. But in the end, I learned a great deal and confirm things that I already knew. Let me start with a few basic thoughts: Money can corrupt in any country and at any time in history; A life without purpose can lead anyone into very poor behavior; Powerful people with all the money and control should pay attention to the people as a whole; Why? Because desperate people that are lacking basic human needs are open for the words of someone that will point out the reason for their struggles; and these words can spark a revolution.
Fundamentally, this story revolves around three (3) families. Complete with poor cousins, mismanagement of wealth; nonstop switch of who is in love with who; arranged marriages to supplement the depleted family wealth; forbidden marriages with threats of disinheritance; duals; bubble and stubble military action (or in action); lost loves are reunited; bastard children; Cads; death in child birth; crazy old people; and so much more … Think 1800's version of a Soap Opera and you will have the idea.
It is a chore. But worth the read if for nothing more than to say "I did it"
Fundamentally, this story revolves around three (3) families. Complete with poor cousins, mismanagement of wealth; nonstop switch of who is in love with who; arranged marriages to supplement the depleted family wealth; forbidden marriages with threats of disinheritance; duals; bubble and stubble military action (or in action); lost loves are reunited; bastard children; Cads; death in child birth; crazy old people; and so much more … Think 1800's version of a Soap Opera and you will have the idea.
It is a chore. But worth the read if for nothing more than to say "I did it"
arifaahmed8's review against another edition
5.0
War and Peace 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟.
It has been an incredibly blissful journey to spend couple of months completely absorbed in the world of War and Peace. The book travelled with me everywhere and I was in no rush to speed though it. The book lives up to every accolade that I have ever heard about it. It is an epic portrayal of a world deteriorating from within, painted with an extensive web of small moments puts together with great insight.
The book looks at the Napoleonic wars through the lived experience of Russian society. I was immersed in that society during that moment in history with its snow covered landscape, its extravagant ball rooms, the imperfect battle scenes, the gossip filled salons that bored Prince Andrei to no end. Ah, prince Andrei 💛, is he the prefect hero? If there can be such a thing. His indifferent demeanour, his conviction of superiority of his own intellect, his pursuit for meaning of life, and then his sudden fall in love when he least expects it, this all makes his character brilliant and timeless.
I was equally impressed with Natasha and her zest for life when we first meet her. Her passions and grave errors of judgements make her equally endearing and human. At the end of the book the mellowness and passiveness of her character was slight disappointment. War & Peace gives you many many memorable characters.
I am in awe of Tolstoy’s genius who wrote this well over 1000 page saga to basically tackle the question, why a particular moment happened in history.
It has been an incredibly blissful journey to spend couple of months completely absorbed in the world of War and Peace. The book travelled with me everywhere and I was in no rush to speed though it. The book lives up to every accolade that I have ever heard about it. It is an epic portrayal of a world deteriorating from within, painted with an extensive web of small moments puts together with great insight.
The book looks at the Napoleonic wars through the lived experience of Russian society. I was immersed in that society during that moment in history with its snow covered landscape, its extravagant ball rooms, the imperfect battle scenes, the gossip filled salons that bored Prince Andrei to no end. Ah, prince Andrei 💛, is he the prefect hero? If there can be such a thing. His indifferent demeanour, his conviction of superiority of his own intellect, his pursuit for meaning of life, and then his sudden fall in love when he least expects it, this all makes his character brilliant and timeless.
I was equally impressed with Natasha and her zest for life when we first meet her. Her passions and grave errors of judgements make her equally endearing and human. At the end of the book the mellowness and passiveness of her character was slight disappointment. War & Peace gives you many many memorable characters.
I am in awe of Tolstoy’s genius who wrote this well over 1000 page saga to basically tackle the question, why a particular moment happened in history.
brandontoddcunningham's review
5.0
I've just finished reading War and Peace, and I can say without hesitation that it's one of the greatest novels I've ever read. Tolstoy's epic masterpiece spans decades and characters, from the glittering balls of high society to the bloody fields of battle, and brings the Napoleonic Wars to life with a level of detail and depth that is truly awe-inspiring. But it's not just a historical novel - it's also a deeply philosophical work, exploring themes of love, family, free will, and the meaning of life itself. The characters are unforgettable, from the impetuous Natasha to the brooding Pierre, and their journeys are both universal and unique. Yes, it's a long book, but it's worth every page. War and Peace is a must-read for anyone who loves great literature and wants to be transported to another time and place. Highly recommend it!
“Let the dead bury their dead; but, while we are alive, let us live.”
― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
“Let the dead bury their dead; but, while we are alive, let us live.”
― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
blakew321's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
22/8/23 - I just finished this today... Not comfortable to write my review yet. I wanna sit on it for a few days. But wow this was huge. 1/4 of my year has passed since I started. I think it's testament to the emotional, historical, geographical, moral, intellectual scope of this book just how many of the mood tag things I just ticked. Also I chose medium because this book can at times feel slow, but there are always things happening in quick succession, even if they are not huge?