(Instagram @elle_reads)

When I finished this book, I was exhausted from reading and rated it a 2. Looking back at all my meaningful highlights, I have to give it a 4.

[book review] Anna Karenina
Russian society is scandalized when a young woman forsakes her son and husband for her lover. Societal ties unravel.
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WHAT I LIKED
Tolstoy has amazing themes! My favorite was the duality of living for pleasure versus finding pleasure in honest, repetitive work. I have a weakness for good o’ fashioned philosophical analysis through character conversations. In this, Tolstoy does not disappoint.
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There is deep, deep, deep, deep character development. Tt happens so slowly you don’t even realize it - just like the characters! In reflection, even I can see the small budding of the characters’ epiphany moments as well. Furthermore, I can happily relate every character to someone in my life. Truly timeless.
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Oh man. I’m still panting from this continual book marathon. Anna Karenina is an exhausting read. I even wonder if the beautiful metaphors rippling through this book (which each take a paragraph in themselves) could have been shortened to a few words. But then would they have the same concise meaning? I'm not sure.
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As I read it, rated it two. When I first finished it, I rated it two. Now that I’ve let all the content simmer in my brain and I’m only reading the marvelous quotes I highlighted…four.
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Anna Karenina (by Leo Tolstoy) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️4/5
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