Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy, translated by David Magarshack

Read and reviewed in late summer-winter of 2006-2007. Later sent to another Bookcrosser, whose review can be found here .


I finally finished it this afternoon, and then read the forward, and I'm glad I didn't read it earlier; it would have given too much away.

I found it very long and much too detailed about insignificant things, imho. However I was satisfied with the ending. It was very Christian in its themes, I thought. Alexey Karenin found forgiveness in his heart for his adulterous wife, finally, even though he came across as extremely straight-laced and stuffy. He seemed to have wanted to soften more, but couldn't because of his upbringing and place in society, and friends. Anna asked forgiveness of God just before dying. Levin became a believer. Chapter 8 of Part VIII seemed almost like a re-writing of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, and then he was able to find the Truth, which was in his heart all along, from the church's teachings he had learned from childhood and tried to reject.

This was a Readalong selection on a LIveJournal page. Additional reviews may be found here (unless it's a private blog; if so, I am sorry.)