Anna Karenina (Oprah #5): (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) | 
pickThis was a soft pick. This felt like a colossal read for me, not just in its size but in its complexity. The main thing I absolutely loathed were the “casual” instances of misogyny, racism, and classism that was rarely ever called out during this era. But this was mostly a scholarly read for me, and I studied the writing carefully. Tolstoy delved so deeply into his characters, everything from their appearance, their body language… continued ⬇️
jen_the_scribe …to their innermost thoughts and feelings. I felt like a fly on the wall during their discussions of their personal life, religion, politics, and philosophy. What was lacking for me when it comes to plot was “action.” These are aristocratic families dealing with societal pressures and drama, and there was plenty of that in the beginning and the end, but there was a slow down in the middle that left me bored at times. Continued ⬇️ 2h
jen_the_scribe Tolstoy also depicted mental illness and the spiraling of certain characters so devastatingly well that I found those scenes a bit tough to get through. This novel was absolutely tragic but beautifully written for the most part. Despite the troubling themes, I can see why it has transcended time, language, and place. 2h
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