This intimidating book was much more action-packed than a dull read. I can now see why the story has been adapted into movies and tv shows (most recently BBC's excellent 2016 adaptation), as the lives of the Russian families featured are filled with drama. Sure some monologues made by the characters like Pierre, Natasha, and Prince Andrey were overblown and didn't add much to the plot, but they didn't encompass the entire book. Even if there were whole chapters dedicated to the battles of the Napoleonic Wars, they'd be followed by a marriage, an argument, or some other intriguing conversation.

The Bolkonsky, Bezuhov, Rostov, Kuragin, and Drubetskoy families keep company with one another during the war and the book follows the major events in their lives, such as proposed elopements, courting, deaths, and alignments through marriage. The war takes a toll on each of the families, but in varying ways. Some end up wealthier than others, and others learn humility.

Out of all of the characters, Princess Marya, Sonya, and Pierre would be my favorites. All of them are unselfish, but at the same time, the most realistic characters. Pierre makes many mistakes before he realizes how he wants to live his life, but always he wants to do good. Sonya, though she is too timid for me and never accomplishes anything of her own, has a pure heart and is unfailing in her kind treatment of the Rostov family.

Princess Marya might be my favorite character, because not only is she the most independent woman in the entire book, but she matches this strength with a strong sense of duty. Her character is complex, because she isn't introduced into the story as a headstrong woman, quite the opposite. Eventually however, she stands up for herself and makes the life she wants. It helps that she has the money to accomplish this, but she still decides to be happy against all odds. I fell in love with her character the moment she refused to leave her father's precious library behind, even when the French army was coming after her.