Bookworm Blurbs

Every time I read this, I'm struck by Tolstoy's ability to create such complex characters - and so many of them. Right now, I'm in the early days of Anna and Vronsky's affair, when she's trying to decide if she should leave her husband. I'm so impressed by Tolstoy's portrayal of how desperate Anna is, even at this point. She's stuck in a loveless marriage but is afraid to get out of it because of all of the consequences that she knows she'll face, and she's plagued by guilt from her affair, even though she cares less for Karenin every day. Anna created the situation that she's in, but Tolstoy still manages to get the reader to feel bad for her, not Karenin. It's stunning.