WAR AND PEACEI’m seeing that I actually WILL finish this book for my A to Z Classic Reads challenge. Although I enjoyed Anna Karenina more, this piece of literature is a wonderfully beautiful read. I am happy that I have knowledge of Russian history, other pieces of Russian Literature and culture before tackling this. I believe this fact has helped me immensely as the background of the story is not unfamiliar to me. The translation that I am reading is so well done, I will for sure be looking up other books translated by these two. The language just flows. Pevear and Volokhonsky’s translation makes this book come to life and it seems new, not old and stodgy like I was always told it was. The characters come to life and feel like real people. The spirituality explored in this book and the differences shown in the families; love verses strict rules, leads you to believe that Tolstoy’s personal belief is that a happy marriage is the best outcome of a spiritual search.
I’m nearing the end and will take a few days break to think before reading the epilogue. Then I’ll have a bit of a breather and start Phantom of the Opera!
Peace.
