A review by caitgiam
Anna Karenin by Leo Tolstoy

2.0

I really wanted to give this a one star because it was absolutely one of the most boring books I have ever read, but it was not a bad story and I feel like one stars are reserved for the worst of the worst. The premise was good and I found myself reading to the end because I really did want to know where each character would end up, but overall this was not an enjoyable read. Anna is completely unlikeable. Even in her moments of confusion or despair, I just couldn't feel for her or find much of an interest in what was happening in her life after a certain point. Dolly, Kitty, and Levin were the three characters that continued to make this story worth it for me. Kitty's character arc was a consistent bright spot throughout the story.

I can recognize the things that make this a classic and a well-loved book, but it just wasn't for me. There was far too much extraneous information to keep the story moving. I have read many books where the details and side stories really add to the book, but in this case it just felt like overkill. This is definitely a complicated one for me because while I didn't like it, I also wouldn't question someone who found this to be their favorite book.

Glad I read it, but definitely never picking it up again.