They have no idea.Īt precisely the midway point (Kindle literally reported 50% complete) the tone turns dark. These people, surrogates for the nation if not the world, are about to suffer. I was impatient, though I acknowledge that’s probably the point: there’s a clear sense of foreboding, and the irony of society’s detachment is palpable. The war is little more than a topic of polite conversation and an opportunity for career advancement. The first half – the soap opera about Russian high society – is largely a series of balls, dinner parties, and romantic maneuvers. But the novel felt to me like a soap opera followed by a rambling philosophical lecture. It feels presumptuous and arrogant to criticize a consensus masterpiece, and I’m self-conscious about doing so. I enjoyed Anna Karenina and relish nineteenth century classics, but War and Peace didn’t work for me. “…the Napoleon who was active at this time was like a child in a carriage who pulls on the straps inside and thinks he is doing the driving.” (p1119) “.all of these causes, billions of them, came together to bring about subsequent events…” (p669)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |