Yup, another classic book that I’ve managed to read. This one did take about six months but I got there in the end.

I just want to say that the first half of this book is a tough slog and although I gave it 5 stars I did struggle to finish this book thanks to the first chunk. It takes a while to get going (although it’s never as slow as war and peace) but I really enjoyed the characters and everything they struggled with. Tolstoy is a master at writing about the things that really matter.

Most of this book focuses on what it is to be happy and content in life. The characters all have very different approaches but I most resonated with Levin and his thoughtful outlook on life. He loved to improve things and would spend hours thinkging about the really deep questions. Considering I was on holiday when I read the end of this and it was talking about the very things I often think about when on holiday and not rushed by the rest of the world it was perfect.

As you’d expect with a classic it was very descriptive and several chapters meandered off onto other subjects like politics and farming but it was an interesting insight into the way society worked back then and in a few places I actually wanted more information on how it worked for them then.

Still totally in love with the classics.