"Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy

Can you believe it? I finally, FINALLY finished Anna Karenina! It only took two years (or maybe three), but I finally finished. What an accomplishment! Besides having to put this one on hold for books and assigned readings, I struggled to stay awake through a lot of it. Tolstoy's writing is truly beautiful and I love the short chapters, but like most novels written during this time period, there is just so much talking and feeling and thinking and looking at the sky. Although my only real complaint about Anna is . . . well . . . Anna.  I have to wonder why Tolstoy wrote a heroine who he must have known his readers would have a hard time respecting. She is beautiful and outwardly attractive in every way, but that is about it. By about page 600, I finally thought, "Ugh! I don't like her!" I do appreciate, however, the way Tolstoy painted a picture of two different lives. One of poor choices and sadness, another of restraint and deep satisfaction. Anna may not be a wonderful heroine, but there are other characters who do enough to redeem the novel as a whole. Kitty and Levin and Nickolay. They all have something unique and beautiful to offer. Even though it was hard to get through, I think Anna was worth reading. I'm proud to have read a Tolstoy novel at last, but don't think I'll be picking up War and Peace any time soon.  I've already started making a list for next year, so I think I better get through the 15 I have left for this year pretty quick!