Anna Karenina (Oprah's Book Club)

Tolstoy's Anna Karenina is his lengthy novel about marriage, fidelity, love, relationships, and coming to a larger answer of identity and faith, and we see both the main protagonists--Anna and Levin--struggle with this. Jumping into a book of this magnitude and length can be daunting, and not everything included is perfect. There are sections that tend to drag on and are a bit verbose, including the sections on Levin's interest in farming, or Vronsky's passion for the arts. Yet, while this is not a perfect novel (and does have its overdone moments), clearly there are passages that make it praiseworthy. The construction--how Tolstoy is able to tie plots and conflicts together--and his ability at complex characterization make the book praiseworthy. Tolstoy not only gives you the detailed accounts of a tragic and redeeming character, but creates a picture of late 19th century Russia.

Anna and Levin--the two main protagonists--have reversed fates. Anna, bored with her marriage to Karenin, is spellbound when she meets Vronsky, and she carries on a secret and illicit affair. Anna, because of this, begins to face several problems that begin her downward spiral. Women in their society speak negatively of her, and Karenin doesn't approve of her flirtations. Anna must still answer to her husband Karenin, who refuses to grant a divorce despite constant pleas from both Oblonsky and Anna. Anna's relationship with her son begins to drift away, and, she begins to feel her loss of control, including her insecurity about Vronsky being truly in love with her. As she tries to "live" life in happy terms, the problems take over her existence, and an inflicting mental state begins to take hold of Anna, and does not let go. On the other side, Levin seems to be the polar opposite of Anna. After initially being refused love by Kitty, he seems to go on a "spiritual" journey, where he questions his faith and life. He eventually is able to win over Kitty, but still must discover who he is. This is a battle he struggles with the entire novel. While he is also untrusting of society like Anna, and has difficulties set before him (such as the physical decline of his brother, the feeling of isolation without Kitty), he tends to find ways to overcome and resolve difficulties. There is a point in the novel when Levin is out on his farm, reflecting on the ways of life, and isolated from everyone, but he is growing spiritually; at the same time, Anna is carry on what you would think to be an exciting life, having exploits and passionate flings with Vronsky, yet there is an unhappiness, an insecurity that lingers in her soul because she can't have the idyllic life she craves.

Tolstoy's might have been making a point about the importance of keeping marriages and family life working, with Anna as the tragic example. Once Anna carries on an affair, it is as if society shuns her, and the world is "out to get her." The insecurity that seems to creep into Anna's conscious will not let go. Despite her mistakes, you tend to "feel sorry" for Anna because Tolstoy takes you inside her head during her mental suffering:
"Yes, I'm very anxious, and reason was given to escape that; consequently, I have to escape. Why not put out the light when there's nothing more to look at, when looking at all this is horrid? But how? ...It's all falsehood, all lies, all deceit, all evil!" There are times when things with Vronsky seem to be going fine, and yet, she will not allow herself to enjoy it. Although she is having an affair, she certainly suffers for her mistakes, and pays for them. What is the most frustrating aspect of her existence is how little she can do, or will do, to change it.

Some people may condemn Tolstoy's work for being excessively wordy, long-winded, and dated. What simply makes this book a classic is his power of words, his description and ability to make a novel come to life with complex characters. I would recommend reading a few of Tolstoy's short stories before taking on this monster. It is a long book, but, if you get through it, it is worth it!

Anna Karenina is probably the most detailed work on relationships, families, society, and spirituality ever written... It is detailed to the point of being its own universe - and one that moves with the consistency of a fine tuned machine. One can only approach such a work by abandoning to it completely - allowing it to take you in whatever direction it wills - with the full acceptance that the path you are taking is leading to a full and definitive fruition...

But to speak of the great technical aspects of the novel is not enough.. Somehow it is in the images that Tolstoy creates that allows the novel to really sink in - often promting people to return to it again and again..
The images of the elite societies of Petersburg and Moscow, Levin's estate in the countryside, the dreams of Vronsky and Anna... All the significant moments of the book are presented in a way that enchants the reader.. And while so many literary techinques are used, it is all so natural that it is hardly noticeable - simply great storytelling...

I have read two translations of the novel... the Maudes' translation and now Pevear and Volokhonsky... Both translations were very readable and well written... I cannot say which is better since I do not know Russian and I am no expert on translation... I can say that this translation by p/v is now very highly regarded - and I enjoyed reading it... While the Maude translation seemed more literary, the p/v translation seemed more direct and real to me... So either way you can't lose.. I can only recommend that you pick up one of these versions and enjoy being swept away.

It's really a disgrace to see how many people have commented on the length of this novel, and as a post-modern youth, I see how short the attention span of the average person is, and how absent minded people have come to be, with respect to literature.

If you expect every single word of this book to be filled with gut wrenching action like an action film, go see a Die Hard movie. This book, and all other novels of any significance are setup to show the human condition, to show something not readily apparent. Sometimes, it takes hundreds of pages.

This is one of my favorite works of literature, and my favorite work of Tolstoy. Take time to read a book that envelops emotions and feelings that you have never experienced, or at least would admit to experiencing.

I bought this book for my girlfriends birthday, and she wasnt paying attention to me because she was reading it. SHE SAID SHE LOVED THIS BOOK.

I thought that this would be a good book to read for my AP Literature class because I had heard that it was a great novel despite its daunting length. I found the book to be full of farming and political details unnecessary to the plot, the plot lacking in a definite climax, and the ending concerning Levin's realization and acceptance of God being completely unrelated to the first 800 pages. Anna Karenina, who is supposible the heroine of the novel, I found to be completely selfish and tried to shape the rules to her liking. She thought it to be totally unfair that she was deprived of society and of her son. She made the conscious decision to have an affair and was unwilling to accept the consequences of that decision. The only pleasure I received from this book was Levin and Kitty's relationship and their romance. All in all, this read was a complete disappointment and waste of time.