Leo Tolstoy: War and Peace (Rating: 4.5)
The Ath Book Club critics said that War and Peace is Tolstoy’s own interpretation of history and that he is too full of his own view, and that the war episodes are too dense for the present day reader. The War and Peace lovers said that the book works and survives through its uniqueness – combining a fictional novel with a lecture about history, philosophy, ethics and military strategies.
One of the most import themes in War and Peace is the futility of war – a war is a mess that is really only an ideologised struggle. In a war there is more fighting to get more medals. It also shows blind faith towards the Czar and Napoleon.
War and Peace has an overwhelming number of characters, some real historical people and some fictional. Tolstoy’s characterisation is genius; he is very precise, descriptive and insightful in the way they grow and mature. Pierre, who represented Tolstoy’s self, was nearly everybody’s favourite as well as Andrei. General Kutúzov, a real historical person, was essential for the main plot, not for his individual development. The Rostóvs and Bolkónskys were two very opposite families; one loving towards each other and others, the other bullying. Each character, however minor, had his/her place and gave the book substance.
Reading War and Peace you become a part of a whole other world. Written for over 140 years ago, it still has relevance today and it is truly a universal work.
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