Rather than attempt a comprehensive review of 867 pages in two minutes, my goal is to provide, what I would consider, an accurate and succinct representation of the novel. So for all of the people who think of Anna Karenina as a “Russian tragedy”- this is for you.
Given the page length, it’s not surprising that the novel isn’t commonly read, but I will use this space to argue that it could’ve been, had the role of the main character been re-assigned. Sure, Anna is the beautiful, alluring woman whose passions and wiles create most of the conflict in the novel (‘sex sells’, amiright), but I would argue that it is Konstantin “Kostya” Levin, not Anna, who deserves the title role in this production.
The novel unfolds primarily from two storylines: Anna and Vronsky, and Levin and Kitty. Truth be told, I found Anna’s character difficult to understand or empathize with, and caught myself waiting for the story to switch back to Levin and Kitty’s courtship, a love story that made me chuckle more than I thought possible reading an old Russian classic.
I became more attached to Levin’s character than I expected. I was endeared toward the analytical way he views the world around him, how much he overthinks his courtship (and everything else), and the way he’d prefer to be in the fields with his peasants than entertain the custom of “going calling”. Tolstoy spends a fair amount of the novel depicting the deep introspection of its characters, which contributes greatly to my appreciation and affection for them.
Yes, the book does contain elements of tragedy, but it is so much more than that. It is the conflict between love and loss, the grappling with faith, and the drive to find purpose in an aristocratic society. Above all, it is a portrayal of how one’s thoughts and insecurities can dictate their course in life.
Having read this, I’m convinced I would not have survived in 19th-century Russia, where blushing in public is an egregious social misstep. Those who know me (and how easily my cheeks flush) know I would’ve been a social pariah.
Personal rating: 6.5/10
Recommend? Only to someone with a penchant for the Classics
Re-read? Once was enough
Time: 2:00
Bonus Content: I was reading this book on a bench in the park when a wee old man walking his two terriers came up to me and said, ‘You know, that’s better in Russian.’ Yes. I’m sure it is.