Nov 03, 2004 05:28 PM
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(Updated Nov 03, 2004 05:28 PM)
The book is a mammoth tome.This review is aimed at those who would like to read it but haven't had the time or are irked by the size.
War and Peace is the story of 3 aristrocratic families : the Bezhukovs, the Rostovs and the Bolkonskys and how each member is changed during a)before the firstwar,b)during the first war,c)between the first and second wars and d)after the second war.It is in short about how families deal change during times of war and peace.
The families are by no means similar. The Bezhukhovs are rich but are do'nt really like each other. The Rostovs are a happy and contended family that laugh a lot and invite others to participate in their joy. The Bolkonskys are more intellectual but as close knit. They are however quite selfish and don't take too kindly to outsiders.
So what can you expect from this book. Well I was able to understand people and my own actions better after reading this superb novel. The book is all about change and how people adapt to it. The book is not just about changes that come in due to war, its also about how change can happen during a time of peace like when a woman gets married and has to adjust to a new family or the father becoming bankrupt.
What makes War and Peace a truly great novel is its honesty in narration. This honesty results in the book feeling real. By real I mean you identify with the person in it and the actions he takes during times of stress or happiness. You just dont' identify with one person you identify with all of them at different times.This realism is probably explained by the fact that a lot of material for this novel came from Tolstoys diary.
The reader will be exposed to a rich man who is lonely and starved for good company, a soldier who dreams of finding glory in a war but when confronted with the real thing becomes scared and fless only wanting to be with his family again. The reader can allso see how a man from a noble but poor family joins the army and curries favour with all around and ignores those below him.
Its difficult to judge the man because he is driven to take care of his future and believes those who can choose friends below them are well settled enough to do so.Also how can one judge a mother who advises her daughter to marry someone her own age but cannot argue with all her heart since her family is poor and the suitor is a rich man.
The book is again about change.The arrogant man with brains, looks and charm(when he turns it on) changes into a humble man, less sure of his importance in the world but determined to do what he can to make it better.The rich noble with no real company finds a home with the Masonic Lodge and enters it whole heartedly but becomes frustrated once he realises it is not as pure as he once thought it was.
To me War and Peace is a wonderful novel since it helped me to understand my actions better and the actions of others that I will see in life.I will be less likely to judge after reading this book. Tolstoy lets the reader into his soul. What conclusions you come up with is up to you.
