Anna Karenina  (English, Paperback, Tolstoy Leo)

Anna Karenina is a literary classic and a masterpiece by writer, Leo Tolstoy. A romantic tragedy set in the roots of nineteenth century Russia, Anna Karenina deals with the tragic story of the aristocrat Anna, her married life, her post marriage affair and her journey of self awareness and self destruction.

Summary Of The Book

A story centered on the theme of pursuing love, a story that defies all rules, a story about doomed love, a story of tragic consequences, Anna Karenina has been regarded as a classic masterpiece in the field of literature and as Tolstoy’s ‘first true novel’. This classic has been admired through generations for its classic detail, beautiful setting and most importantly for its protagonist and main character, Anna, and the portrayal of estrangement, love, self destructive behaviour and paranoia.

The story opens with Tolstoy describing Anna, her unhappy married life and how she is dealing with her womanizing brother. An aristocrat and socialite in Russia, Anna moves with ease through her social circle. She falls in love with Count Vronsky, an affluent bachelor. Vronsky promises to marry her if she is willing to leave her present husband, Karenin, a government official. Anna battles social norms and leaves the country with her love, Count Vronsky, to start yet another chapter of her life.

The two lovers flee to Italy, breaking all social norms, to be with each other, only to find yet another series of social adjustment problems. They find it hard to adjust to the people and the place, and despite trying their best, return to the more familiar Russia. Back in her own country, Anna becomes more anxious and this time around, is more vulnerable imagining her love to be unfaithful to her. Vronsky, however, manages to continue smoothly and leads a proper social life.

Extremely detailed, simplistic, precise and brimming with different characters, Anna Karenina, is a saga of an unforgettable protagonist and heroine exploring some of the deepest questions about how to deal with life and how one can live a fulfilling life. The author gives it a personal touch by intricately describing his setting, while he describes the countryside, or his characters.

A story about love, faith, marriage, infidelity, social stigma, hypocrisy, passion and much more, Anna Karenina is a powerful portrayal of the journey of a woman trying to find her place in the world.

About Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy was a Russian writer born in 1828, who has written novels, short stories, essays and plays.

Some of his other works include A Confession, War and Peace, Family Happiness, The Death of Ivan Ilych, Too Dear, Father Sergius, and Two Old Men.

He is known for his moralistic and ascetic views which are apparent in his writing style. He writes with sheer detail and choses to tell a story with innumerable characters involved.

Tolstoy studied oriental languages and law at Kazan University. He wrote plays like The Power of Darkness and The Living Corpse. Leo Tolstoy was married to Sophia Andreevna Behrs, and had thirteen children. He was a social reformer, a moral thinker and a spiritual individual who breathed his last in the year 1910, at the age of 82.