Anna Karenina: Part the First

So, after an entire night of trying to figure out how to actually set up these posts, I've decided to just start talking about the books and probably fall into some sort of general theme as I go on.

My first thought, honestly, when I started Anna, was 'oh, no, not more Jane Austen'. It starts in a house where the husband's had an affair, and the wife's in a tizzy. Yaaaawn. Just another comedy of manners, but this time with unpronouncable names I thought. I really couldn't be more wrong.

Backing up, though. Anna, the title character, doesn't even turn up in conversation until about the fourth chapter as an off-hand mention, and much later in person. I know that this is a typical way of doing things, but it's a bit frustrating. If this novel's supposedly about her, then why isn't she in more of the novel? Up to where I currently am (about halfway through the entire thing), she's been in about a third of the thing. I'm not necessarily complaining, but it's a bit odd.

Not to mention that Anna started out reminding me of my best friend, but is now reminding me of a pain-in-the-arse person I knew once. She's wilting because of her situation instead of stepping up and grabbing it. Sure, that's the way the time period was, however, Anna could do one heck of a lot more in her situation than just sit back and wilt.

Other than Anna wilting, the rest of the characters in the novel seem to be more apt to take what they want and run with it, which is somewhat refreshing. All in all, it seems grittier than my first thought of Jane Austen, with much more religion, politics, and actual problems than the light comedies of manners that I remember.

So far, I'm really enjoying myself with this one. Its Russian style, and, I must say, excellently worded translation are very catching. One minor complaint, however. For the love of everything that's holy, Tolstoy, a bit of time explanation would be nice! He jumps from time to time between chapters, almost without explaining where or when he's going. Sometimes, he even jumps -back- in time and tells something from another characters' perspective. Ow my head! It's not horrible, but it does make for a bit slower reading, because I have to turn back every so often.

So, off I go to the second, and from what I understand, darker half of the book. Here goes nothing!

Oh, one last thing. I thought that it would be amusing to highlight some amusing lines or phrases from each day's reading, either impactful or just amusing. Today, I bring you, from the description of a certain visiting prince: "he had attained such strength that, despite the intemperance with which he gave himself up to pleasure, he was as fresh as a big, green, waxy, Dutch cucumber." Um, what? A -cucumber-? I really don't know if I even want to know where that comes from.

Until tomorrow!

Days: 363
Books: 100