Congratulations to everyone who stuck with this project! I’m not quite finished yet, but I’ll definitely be completing this novel soon.
So what did you think? Are you glad you read it?
I’m not quite finished either. I’m in the first epilogue. I’m super glad to have read it and so surprised at how accessible it was. I’m sure it was a product of the times but it would have been nice in all those pages to have a woman worth caring about. I found them to lack substance and purpose, for the most part. I’m still finding it difficult to buy into the big character arcs of Pierre and Natasha but it’s fiction and I guess that’s what he wanted. Again, maybe a product of the times.
War & Peace surpassed my expectations. I really enjoyed reading it and was surprised at how easy a read it was (ok, so a few sections were a slog). The ease, I believe, can be attributed to at least two factors, the translation version and the audiobook narrator.
I enjoyed Tolstoy’s writing style, particularly when he broke the fourth wall. Additionally, the discussions of the cause of the war and the various war strategies was more interesting than I anticipated. While the characters were not the most likable or relatable, and the book not the most joyful, I chalked it up to the gloom and doom evident in much of the Russian Lit of the time. (While a different era, I often “heard” in my head the dark notes of Shostakovich playing as background reading music).
Honestly, I wouldn’t have tackled the novel without a gentle push - thank you @kim.kovacs! The idea of a group read and the very do-able timetable made for a wonderful experience.
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Since reading War and Peace, I’ve been considering rereading Herman Wouk’s The Winds of War and War and Remembrance (last read in the early 80’s) . I’m curious how they compare in outline.
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I read Winds of War a long time ago and recall enjoying it. I think I saw the movie with my Mom.
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At this point I will discuss my impressions only briefly because I assume we will discuss the book in detail later.
I do not consider myself a sophisticated reader, I went into this project with apprehension due to the length and my preconceived notions, The book was a deep read but easier than I anticipated.
The plot was driven by romance, betrayal, death, and coincidence. I enjoyed reading about the main families and how the outcome of the war changed their moral perspectives of life and humanity. I also liked the metaphor of how the bees left Moscow when Napoleon burned the city and the symbolism of the ants rebuilding the city, as if this was a new manner in which Russia would be rebuilt.
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I’ve never read Winds of War but wouldn’t mind tackling it at some point.
The scene that really impacted me was Pierre’s witnessing of the executions. I thought that was really intense.
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One of the things I think about are how our standards for literature have changed over the decades (centuries!). If this book came out today, I’d pan it due to its length, its depiction of women, the whole back and forth regarding the romantic relationships (surely there were other suitable partners in the area besides those that were the focus), and its extensive commentary. It was an “instant success” when it was initially publicized, however. Interesting, no? Have standards changed over time?
The other thing that impressed me was Tolstoy’s research. I’m assuming that when he quotes some of Napoleon’s announcements he’s using source material. It must have been an arduous task to track down all the information to reconstruct the battles.
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WINDS OF WAR is a two part historical fiction by Herman Wouk. The first book is THE WINDS OF WAR which explains the circumstances that led to World War II. The second book is War and Remembrance which explains the aftermath of the war, A popular mini series was developed with Robert Mitchum and Polly Bergman playing the lead roles. I remember the reading the books when I was pregnant with my son 48 years ago.
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I too wondered about Tolstoy’s perspective and research. Seems research would have been somewhat difficult. Since Tolstoy lived in the area and inherited the results of the war I’m guessing it was taught and he would have formed impressions.
I agree that his style of writing wouldn’t fly today—thankfully. Our expectations are different for sure. I love a long book and I didn’t really tire of this one except for some of the vapid characters.
WINDS OF WAR is well worth reading. I don’t know how well that book stands the test of time but I remember reading multiple Herman Wouk books and loving them. I only recently got around to Marjorie Morningstar and it was badly dated but I could appreciate it being remarkable in its time. Youngblood Hawk was a favorite of mine. I think I finally got rid of my copies to make room for something else.
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It is also interesting to flip your comment. I wonder what Tolstoy would think of some of the books being published now as literary fiction. Scandalous, frivolous, superficial…?
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Hmmm, I might agree with Tolstoy on that thinking. 
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How would you rate W&P on a five-star scale (decimals ok)?
I’m giving it 4.5
I think I’d give it a 4.0.
That would probably be my rating also considering the length of the book.
4.5 s for me, too. I really enjoyed it.