Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Full Review + Summary and Quotes

Book Summary

Anna Karenina is a very famous novel by Leo Tolstoy, which tells the story of a beautiful woman who wants to resolve the conflicts between her brother and his wife. Anna Karenina, on a trip to Moscow, driven by the concerns of her brother's marital problems, encounters romantic events that not only place her in the center of attention of the Russian aristocracy, but also bring significant challenges to her own life.

Count Vronsky is a man who appears in the forefront of the story and Anna believes that he embodies everything a successful man should have, and he is even capable of compensating for the shortcomings of her future husband. However, this is just the beginning of the story, and as certain social conventions become clear, issues arise that create difficult and bitter moments for Anna and the love she holds in her heart.

Leaving her son and husband by Anna, even in a way that she can have an extraordinary life with her lover, leads to unforeseen and irreparable hardships. Tolstoy's novel, first published in 1877, is a work that gives the reader significant emotional and mental shocks in each part. Of course, the author's description of the life of another character named Konstantin Levin, a landowner who finds happiness in hard work, family, and marriage, is another part of the written work that has added to its beauty and attractiveness.

About the Author

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian novelist, playwright, political and social activist, short story writer, and essayist. He was born on September 9, 1828 in Russia and after losing his father and mother in childhood, he was raised by his aunt. Tolstoy pursued his university education in law but left it halfway and after returning to his homeland, he joined the army and began writing professionally during his years of service. He always tried to reflect his experiences in his writings throughout his life and authored numerous works.

He had meetings and conversations with notable figures such as Thomas Edison and Charles Dickens. Due to some of his writings that criticized the government and politics, Tolstoy was forced to leave his wife and move to southern Russia with his daughter and family doctor in the final days of his life. He bid farewell to life on November 20, 1910. Some of his works include War and Peace, Anna Karenina, The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Resurrection, The Kreutzer Sonata, and A Confession.

Who Should Read the Book?

Fans of literary fiction are recommended not to miss reading one of Tolstoy's masterpieces and exploring the history of literature.

Book Quotes

Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

It is not a matter of life being unlivable, especially when one sees that everyone around them has accepted it.

They all felt that their collective life under one roof was meaningless, and any group of people who happened to gather in a coffeehouse had more in common than the members of the Oblonsky family and their servants. The wife did not leave her room, and the husband was out of the house from morning till night.

My dear friend, do you call these things love? Do you think she is telling the truth? You have forgiven her, and I have no objection to forgiving her again, but is it fair to shake the peace of mind of this little innocent angel? She thinks her mother is dead and prays for her and begs God to forgive her mother's sins. Now, if she finds out her mother is alive, what will she think? Alexei Alexandrovich, who was influenced by the correctness of this argument, said, "I hadn't thought about it."

Konstantin covered his face with his hands and remained silent for a while. He was praying. Finally, he said, "Whenever you ask for my opinion, I don't think it would be right to agree to her request. Can't you see how much you suffer and how your wound bleeds? Let's assume you don't consider your own existence at all, but what will be the result of this meeting?"

It will bring you a new kind of suffering and will upset the other child. If this woman still has any human emotions, she will harm herself before anyone else. No! I have no doubt about this and if you allow me, I will answer her in this sense.

... of this immense mistakenly titled novel, is patently Lev Tolstoy masquerading as an artless thinker, that is, a Thinker without an Art, neither a painter nor a writer, simply a man trying to find find meaning in life by thinking about himself. Does he think too much? Eventually he thinks so. Hes happiest when he wields his own scythe, an aristocrat embarrassing his serfs both by his energy and by his inappropriate humility. More pages of the novel are devoted to Levins erratic musings and violent mood swings than to any other character, male or female. Levin is the protagonist as well as his own antagonist. Levin is the intellectual leavening of this tear-sodden melodrama. Its Levins epiphany, his realization of a plausible happiness amid the falsehood and grief of life, that concludes the book, long pages after the death of the title-character. Levins abjuration of Reason and embrace of instinctive mysticism do not amount to an Answer to Lifes Big Questions for this reader, but Levin is a fully realized human being, one of the most believable in all literature, just as this novel is one of the most perfectly realized works of fiction ever written.

"Anna Karenina" is an earnest philosophical novel upon which a fiery opera is grafted. The graft is surgically perfect. It takes. The stories of Anna and Vronsky, Levin and Kitty, Levin and his Doubts are all melded together seamlessly. There have been at least half a dozen grand operas based on "Anna Karenina", none of which have held the stage either artistically or commercially, not merely because the novel is too large for a libretto but because the deepest parts are invariably excluded. No Levin interior monologues, no leavening of the plot! Grand opera, in the tradition of 19th C Romanticism, isnt amenable to Tolstoys quasi-Jungian Weltanschauung. It seems that Leos Janacek attempted to compose an "Anna Karenina" opera, but abandoned the project. And if Janacek couldnt do it, no one else had a chance!

Im not a scholar of Russian literature. I havent read the preface to this translation, or any biography of Tolstoy, or a single essay about "Anna Karenina", but Im convinced that Levin is Tolstoys spiritual self-portrait, and his prefiguration of the course his own life would take. I also have to confess, sadly, that I cant read a word of Russian. This great novel exists for me only via translation. Whether the Pevear-Volokhonsky translation captures any or none of Tolstoys literary flair is completely opaque to me. I had read the 100-year-old translation that remains the most widely known, and assumed that the novel had to be better in the orginal, since the translation amounted to wretched English prose. Now I can at least confidently declare that Pevears translation is good English prose. In fact, if I were given a paragraph of it without a title and with all the place names replaced by sites in North Dakota, I think I would be fooled. I wouldnt suspect a translation.

"Anna Karenina" is a sublime creation, unquestionably a "world classic." Dont be afraid of its length, or of its depth.

Reading translations has always seemed to lessen my engagement with a book mainly because I am hyper-aware of the fact that unless I learn the original language of the story I will never 100% read the actual story the way it was meant to be read. In rating a book like Anna Karenina I dont think Im rating Leo Tolstoy as much as Im rating Richard Peaver and Larissa Volokhonsky. One can make the same claim for any given spiritual text. How can I say things like "this book is too long" when I am ignorant not only of the source material but also in the challenges that were faced in translating the spirit of the work into a completely different language? The answer is that I cant. Although many characters seem to feel things "in the depths of their souls" (an expression I grew tired of in the book) I wondered if that is what Tolstoy actually wrote in Russian or if he used expressions that have no equivalent in English. This is one example of what I mean. Did Tolstoy overuse expressions or did the translators have no other way of putting it? Who am I really critiquing?

I will say that the characters, in one way or another, were relatable and touched my mind and heart in ways I was not expecting. All the characters reflected something in me that I had experienced in one way or another in myself. Levin was perhaps the most relatable and, speaking for myself, is what makes this story work.

Translation or not, the length still felt excessively long and given that War and Peace is regarded as an extremely long book and in need of a trim, I suspect the length is more of a Tolstoy thing. Much like Ive heard of Dickens, this book has long sentences that seem to take you on an odyssey to arrive at an idea or expression that didnt seem to be worth the trip. It doesnt hurt the overall work but sometimes one can almost lose the rhythm and pacing of the narrative. Also, not knowing much about Russian politics some aspects can seem boring. I dont know if it is due to my ignorance as a reader or the age of the work and the challenges at translating ideas.

Overall I can say that I loved the overall work and look forward to reading more translations of Russian literature. I cant say if this is the best translation, but for me it was quite enjoyable. I would highly recommend it with a heads-up on certain aspects of the book that could feel a bit overdone ("in the depths of his soul") or certain sentences that seem to lose narrative flow.

First and foremost, the novel is beautiful in its appearance. I purchased the paperback Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition by Pevear and Volokhonsky. The book has a stunning cover with a dust jacket and deckle edge, all of which make the book that much more expensive and beautiful. My pictures definitely dont do it justice, but Ive included a few for reference.

WARNING: save the introduction until after you complete the novel to avoid spoilers. It contains a few important plot details concerning the fates of several characters. That being said, the introduction is a beautifully written insight into Tolstoys journey to write Anna Karenina, including the influences from his real life that inspired many of the novels characters and events.

"All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." WOW! The first sentence alone is so masterfully written that you know youre in for an incredible journey.

This translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky is beautifully written in such a way that the text is readable (and doesnt come across as being outdated) but maintains the authors authentic voice without any commentary on the part of the translators. Additionally, the translators included an especially helpful character list detailing the names and familial relations of the main characters as well as a section of notes that explain specific plot details regarding Russian society and history.

I tried to pace myself through the book, originally committing to only about 50 pages per night before bed. But when I started reading I couldnt stop, I was so enraptured by the novel that I couldnt put it down, and read all 800+ pages in less than a week. This story is truly timeless. My only complaint (if you can even call it that) is that I expected more closure...maybe a more complete picture regarding the characters lives (particularly Vronsky and Karenin) outside of their relationships with Anna. However, those uncertainties amplify the tragic elements and provide a sense of realism. An incredible addition to my bookcase.

*Spoiler Alerts*

This translation is excellent. I started reading another version of this and the clunky wording made the story much harder to get into. This translation is so understandable.

Its a long book. I often got sidetracked and it took me months to read it. The ending with Levins struggle with religion is good, but you could get there in half the time.

The characters were likeable enough. Spoiled, rich. Oblivious to their privilege.
I didnt admire Anna nor Vronsky. I hated how Anna treated her children.
I loved Levin and Kitty. Levin actually cared for workers. Kitty was loving and decent.

What I loved most about this book was how Tolstoy described certain moments and exchanges from the 1800s - they could be written yesterday! The opening sentence speaks for itself.
Halfway through, theres a scene where Anna and Vronsky go to buy a painting and its told from their point of view, and the painters. Its perfect. The posturing, the exchanges. The painter needs their money and resents them; they know nothing about art and are struggling not to sound stupid. Later in the book: Annas line about the English girl she takes under her wing: "Energy is based on love. And love cant be drawn from just anywhere, it cant be ordered. I love this English girl, I myself dont know why." So true. Why do we love some people and not others?
The last paragraph in part seven is really incredible. I dont want to give it away, but theres a reference to swimming thats so apt. The last sentence of this part is perfect.

Much admiration of Tolstoy and his timeless writing.

Blah blah, what do you say about the greatest book ever written, blah blah. This is how Im sure I should start this review off, but youve heard that before. So Ill just try to connect it to my experience and hope it rings true to something you, as a reader, are looking for in a book. Well, first off, this is NOT a book about adultery (oh my gawd!). Thats just one part of the larger picture, and you need not apply if youre looking to hate the adulteress.

More than anything, for me, this book was life-affirming. It gives you a view of life and love that you cannot help but think no one else has come up with or ever will again. It will probably change your views on something, or at least seriously challenge them. It is so delicately balanced a story that if one chapter were taken out, the whole experience would be lessened. Levins agnostic indecision and romanticism about damn near everything is painfully understandable, as is Anna and the way she deals with everything that comes at her. I found Kittys development touching and hopeful as I did Levins, and Vronskys unstoppable passion is quite believable. Tolstoy worked ingeniously with the small cast to make such a forcefully tragic, romantic, yet true to life story as would make every author afterwards jealous. I am sure many have tried to recreate Tolstoys observational powers of reproducing human nature in clear, lucid prose, but none have come quite to this point, and its the most accessible of all 19th century Russian literature that Ive read simply because Tolstoy treats his characters with neither disdain nor exultation. He recognizes that theyre all human, and anyone can appreciate that because human nature doesnt really change. Which is both beautiful and tragic.

Also, Tolstoy was quite a conflicted man and deals quite a bit with the nature of God in this book through Levin. If youre uncomfortable with extensive exploration of religious themes or adultery, dont bother. Or if you do, be prepared to have a changed perspective.

So, without giving away any of the plot, read this book if you want a dense, forcefully and lovingly realistic romance with equal parts beauty and tragedy (sorry to beat this contrast to death, but its true). And for Gods sake, take your time with it to digest the characters and all the different subtleties and subplots. Theyre all significant!

There, I hope I didnt descend into worthless superlatives too much. Just read the book. Its bloody brilliant. And Im an 18 year old guy if youre wondering whether or not a young person can appreciate it.

Excellent translation of a classic

****MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS****

If I could summarize this book in a quote in regards to Anna and Vronsky it would be this one:

"I know no peace and cannot give you any...And I do not see any possibility of peace ahead either for me or for you. I see the possibility of despair, of unhappiness...or I see the possibility of happiness."

That pretty much sums up their love affair and even though these words were spoken by Vronsky in the beginning of the novel, it served as a foreshadow of what was to come between him and Anna. I want to star by saying Im more of an emotional reader, although I do love analyzing classic books for meaning and being scholarly, I mostly go by my heart and the type of emotional response I get by learning about these characters and how their story unfolds. So my emotional side wants to give this story a solid 3 stars. I DO NOT LIKE READING BOOKS ABOUT CHEATING but made one of the rare exceptions with this book as my dear friend recommended it to me. I felt Anna and Vronsky were being selfish and I just couldnt sympathize with them. I know Karenin, Annas husband, was not exactly a cinnamon roll or the most passionate person on earth but at least he took care of her and their son. I do agree he wasnt emotionally available to Anna and she longed to be and feel loved and in a passionate relationship, but that passionate relationship is what ultimately unraveled her and sent her down a dark path. I do believe Anna suffered from a mental illness and I did feel pity for her in that sense. She was the product and consequence of the society she lived in who sadly was not kind to women in Annas position. This is why I gave the book a 5 star, Tolstoy had a way of making me hate her but pity her at the same time and even understand her. The raw human emotions expressed in this novel were truly wonderful. I felt what they felt and as I was reading it and I found myself thinking of the story even when I wasn’t reading it. When a book can do that to me thats how I know I will remember it always and will have a lasting impact on me.

I personally hated Vronsky, I guess what he felt for Anna was "love" but I honestly didnt see it. Anna loved him way more than he did and towards the end he only thought of himself.

However, Kitty and Levins story served as a contrast to Anna and Vronskys story and I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!! Levin, faults and all, was a wonderful character to read and Kitty was a delight. There is a scene/part of the book where Levin dosnt want to take Kitty with him to see his dying brother but shes like Im going anyway (go Kitty!) and we get to see how amazing Kitty is. She took charge of the situation that Levin realized how valuable Kitty is. Another great part was when they confess their feeling for each other!!! That was super cute and romantic.

There are a lot of more characters that I didnt mention but added substance to the story but those two couples were the standouts.

Would I recommend it? Yes, although its a long book and deals with cheating/adultery everyone should read it once and if you can get the audio version with Maggie Gyllenhaal that would make your reading/listening experience even better.

There is a lot of themes and lessons we learn from this book but other reviewers, I feel, can cover this much better than I, but still wanted to share my thoughts. If you decide to embark on this journey that is Anna Karenina I wish you the best. I will definitely read War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy now that I have a taste for his writing :)

Book arrived quick and in perfect shape