I have no new book to post this week because I’m still chugging through Moby Dick. Therefore, in keeping with the looooong-reads theme, here’s my review of Anna Karenina from
back in 2010. And oh so timely!
– it’s going to be a movie this fall – here’s the trailer.
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"All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy
family is unhappy in its own way."
A
month ago, my book club chose to read Anna Karenina, which is quite
the solid brick of literature. It’s 817 pages of Leo Tolstoy-ness, so you’ll
understand why I haven’t blogged about reading in a while.
I’m
a fast reader, so I have to remind myself that not everything can be finished
in a week. Anna Karenina took me a whole month to read! That’s
the longest I’ve spent on one book since I read A Suitable Boy back in 2004 (which
happens to be one of the longest books in the English language). It’s the kind
of book that you just settle into, get comfortable, and realize that you are
going to spend a lot of time with these characters.
And
spend time with them I did! This book accompanied me to Costa Rica and
back to DC and then home to Tahoe –
not to mention many many inner-DC trips on the metro and busses.
Though
it’s long and solid, it’s really quite a breeze. Anna K. (as I so
fondly refer to it) reminds me of a Jane Austin or Charles Dickens book, with a
wee bit of philosophizing thrown in just to remind you that you’re reading Russian
literature.
Like
Dickens’ books, Anna K. was originally published in
installments in a 19thcentury Russian magazine. For readers today,
this means that the chapters are short and concise, which I think really kept
the story moving. Compared to his other books, Anna K. is
Tolstoy-lite (even thought the book itself feels like carrying a brick in my
purse!), and is supposed to be a good introduction to his writing.
The
story is about the tragic love of the title character, but also just as much
about Konstantin Dmitrievitch Levin ("Kostya"), who is Anna’s
brother’s wife’s sister’s suitor (are you confused yet?). Both stories run
parallel and intermingle within the Russian elite. I actually preferred Levin’s
story to Anna’s, minus the parts when he philosophizes about the state of the
Russian worker/farmer. But the dull parts are short and interspersed within the
narrative; so don’t let them dissuade you!
Go here for a complete plot summary. But
I actually recommend you don't - the story is easy to follow and will be better
if it's a surprise!
I
didn’t really connect with any of the characters. There were
some I liked more than others (Dolly, Kitty, Stiva). I will warn you in advance
– the names are TRICKY! I suggest you read the note on names in the front of
the book. Also, read the end notes as you go, it will make some parts make a
lot more sense.
Since
this is kind of an impressive academic book, let’s talk about themes. According
to Lemony Snicket, "The central theme of Anna Karenina is that a rural
life of moral simplicity, despite its monotony, is the preferable personal
narrative to a daring life of impulsive passion, which only leads to
tragedy."
That
sounds pretty solid to me. I thought a theme was the unreasonableness of love.
Levin comes to that conclusion at the VERY end of the book (page 797-ish I
think).
Anna K. is
one of those impressive classics that you just want in your reading repertoire
– so I suggest you read it! Good luck!
