Count Rostov and Pierre are my favorite characters. I think my opinion of the Bolkonsky home is changing. I still think the old prince is ilk, but Marya has come down to earth a bit for me.
My biggest surprise is really about the writing. It’s truly exquisite; lean and ample at the same time. Everything is so vivid and humane. I’m also surprised how the titular theme is incorporated into every chapter. This book is so well integrated with itself.
I hope to get patience from reading this book, not for the novel but for humanity. For me, this book is very much about life macrocosmically and microcosmically. I’m glad to be able to appreciate it as a masterpiece and not a tedium. Having this group has absolutely made this the best reading experience I’ve had in years.
Your commentary has been wonderful, Simon, and everyone’s contributions have added so much to the read-along. Andrei is my favorite main character this far into the book—maybe it’s his broody introspection and concentrated focus on keeping his head down, while recognizing the Big Things when forced to (by a bullet or by moonlight). I cant wait to see what happens. “Favowite” minor character is Denisov and I’m guessing it will be a little while before we learn his fate (bites fingernails). The women so far have changed the course of events on the home front while being mostly just thin brushstrokes—I’m curious to see how their stories evolve. I’m so glad to be reading this book at long last, and loving it. Thank you @SimonHaisell and everyone.
My vote for best listener: Definitely Andrei, with Anna M. on his heels. She does her listening out of necessity and I am not sure if she hears what she doesn't want to hear, though.
I am surprised by and love the messiness of this book—no easy storyline resolutions, and people muddling through, doing the what they can in their circumstances, while trying to find purpose and meaning.
Reading it as we have, allows us to explore and reflect not only on the book, the character arcs, and the social upheaval of the period, but also by the context of our own lived experiences and what’s happening in the world.
I am so grateful to be part of this community! 🙏🙏🙏
I've read this and listened to the unabridged audio book a number of times but this chapter by chapter read, with time to reflect and consider the thoughts of others, is allowing me to realize things I never noticed before, or if I did, soon forgot. It is giving me new appreciation for how subtle a author Tolstoy is.
Because of my knowledge of what's coming, it's often hard for me to comment because of the need to avoid giving anything away.
Thank you so much for this project. I am enjoying it very much! The chat is one of the first things I check in on each morning.
I can’t choose a favorite character. I find that Tolstoy has worked his magic 🪄 and I love them all. I think Marya is a great listener. I love that Susan brought out that theme. I would have missed it entirely. And so many other things without this group and Simon. ❤️
My favorite character is... you guessed it... the sky!
Andrei has grown on me, the most. I'm championing so much more for he and Pierre (whom I've adored from the start) both. And too, Marya, whom I also love. I'm anxious to get to know Natasha better but the path Nikolai has taken (and my lack of patience for him) has me holding her at arms length. I miss actual scenes with our dancing, convivial Count Rostov (and not just references to him), and I do not miss the Kuragin(a)s AT ALL.
The scene with Natasha and the window reminded me of the scene from the beginning of the book, where there was a drinking party with a bear. There, the one character also leaned out of the window. But with a destructive purpose - he was drinking, arguing for money, behaving disgustingly. Such a destruction.
And here Natasha at the window is ready to fly to the moon. Such an atmosphere of rebirth, hope. It's a pity that different characters are watching the scenes: in the first one, Pierre, who also does not really see what is happening in the window, as he has squinted. And here is Andrei. And both of these scenes significantly affect the characters, by the way. After this drinking party, Pierre is expelled from Petersburg. And Andrei is about to go to the capital.
Wonderfully reflective writing Simon. I think much like you and can relate to parts from each character. The slow read, the chat and your weekly reflections make for incredibly rich reading. Thank you.
Yes, I am one of those people who is surprised by how interested I have become in the war chapters. I still remember your very clear admonishment in the introductory FAQ section in response to “Can I skip the ‘war segments’?” — “no!”I read that question and thought that that would have been a question from my younger self. My wiser current self 😉 decided to act on faith in your expertise, not daring to even entertain thoughts of skipping a war scene—- Thanks!
Pierre is my favorite character! He has a lot more depth than I expected after first encountering him. The Freemason story was definitely the most unexpected part of the book. I hope the book ends with Pierre in a place outside of others’ manipulation.
1. Andrei. He speaks to my own heart as a self help addict, always looking for the next thing that will improve me.
2. Also Andrei. He seemed like such a wanker at the start, and he was so terrible to Lise, but - like all of us - he was just doing what he thought he was supposed to.
3. How accessible the language is. Hard to know if that is an artefact of an accessible translation or just built in, but I really thought it would be harder going. We picked up a copy of the three musketeers recently and it was completely impenetrable.
4. I hope there will be more crossover between the families, and I hope Marya will become more of her badass self.
I get a lot out of these weekly reflections and enjoy how much they make me think more about what I have just read. Favourite character is hard but I feel it would be Andrei, he seems to be the one at this point who is reflecting and changing the most. Thank you once again Simon for an excellent summary.
Do you know what would be helpful? If you could coordinate the chapter for each chat segment with the one in the Project Gutenberg text. I often use it to check the text before commenting. I can usually find it by searching on phrases but it takes time. for example, in order to find the current one, Book 2, Part 3, chapter 2, I searched on "we're men not dogs" and scrolled from there, to what the Gutenberg has as Book 6, chapter 3. It doesn't use books and parts, just books.
I did start doing this for the first book, adding the original Maude chapters. At the moment it is one of those jobs I've had to pause because I don't have enough free time (I'm working full time on the readalongs). I'll hopefully add the extra info in future years when I am less stretched. Hopefully the summaries at start of each thread help identify the chapter for now.
I think this book is about many things but ultimately it is about peace being the same as war in that there is always a battle to be fought whether in war or at home in peace. There are winners and losers, grief and glory. Life is a battlefield.
Count Rostov and Pierre are my favorite characters. I think my opinion of the Bolkonsky home is changing. I still think the old prince is ilk, but Marya has come down to earth a bit for me.
My biggest surprise is really about the writing. It’s truly exquisite; lean and ample at the same time. Everything is so vivid and humane. I’m also surprised how the titular theme is incorporated into every chapter. This book is so well integrated with itself.
I hope to get patience from reading this book, not for the novel but for humanity. For me, this book is very much about life macrocosmically and microcosmically. I’m glad to be able to appreciate it as a masterpiece and not a tedium. Having this group has absolutely made this the best reading experience I’ve had in years.
Wonderful, Royce! Wholeheartedly agree!
Your commentary has been wonderful, Simon, and everyone’s contributions have added so much to the read-along. Andrei is my favorite main character this far into the book—maybe it’s his broody introspection and concentrated focus on keeping his head down, while recognizing the Big Things when forced to (by a bullet or by moonlight). I cant wait to see what happens. “Favowite” minor character is Denisov and I’m guessing it will be a little while before we learn his fate (bites fingernails). The women so far have changed the course of events on the home front while being mostly just thin brushstrokes—I’m curious to see how their stories evolve. I’m so glad to be reading this book at long last, and loving it. Thank you @SimonHaisell and everyone.
Denisov!
Quoted in the weekly summary, I feel famous!
My vote for best listener: Definitely Andrei, with Anna M. on his heels. She does her listening out of necessity and I am not sure if she hears what she doesn't want to hear, though.
Anna M may be proof that listening is a weapon as well as a skill.
I am surprised by and love the messiness of this book—no easy storyline resolutions, and people muddling through, doing the what they can in their circumstances, while trying to find purpose and meaning.
Reading it as we have, allows us to explore and reflect not only on the book, the character arcs, and the social upheaval of the period, but also by the context of our own lived experiences and what’s happening in the world.
I am so grateful to be part of this community! 🙏🙏🙏
As someone who has always read fiction for resolution, I am shocked at how much I enjoy the lack of it in this novel.
I love the messiness too!
I've read this and listened to the unabridged audio book a number of times but this chapter by chapter read, with time to reflect and consider the thoughts of others, is allowing me to realize things I never noticed before, or if I did, soon forgot. It is giving me new appreciation for how subtle a author Tolstoy is.
Because of my knowledge of what's coming, it's often hard for me to comment because of the need to avoid giving anything away.
Thank you so much for this project. I am enjoying it very much! The chat is one of the first things I check in on each morning.
Great to have your contribution Paul, even if it does involve biting your tongue.
I can’t choose a favorite character. I find that Tolstoy has worked his magic 🪄 and I love them all. I think Marya is a great listener. I love that Susan brought out that theme. I would have missed it entirely. And so many other things without this group and Simon. ❤️
Agree 💯
My favorite character is... you guessed it... the sky!
Andrei has grown on me, the most. I'm championing so much more for he and Pierre (whom I've adored from the start) both. And too, Marya, whom I also love. I'm anxious to get to know Natasha better but the path Nikolai has taken (and my lack of patience for him) has me holding her at arms length. I miss actual scenes with our dancing, convivial Count Rostov (and not just references to him), and I do not miss the Kuragin(a)s AT ALL.
The scene with Natasha and the window reminded me of the scene from the beginning of the book, where there was a drinking party with a bear. There, the one character also leaned out of the window. But with a destructive purpose - he was drinking, arguing for money, behaving disgustingly. Such a destruction.
And here Natasha at the window is ready to fly to the moon. Such an atmosphere of rebirth, hope. It's a pity that different characters are watching the scenes: in the first one, Pierre, who also does not really see what is happening in the window, as he has squinted. And here is Andrei. And both of these scenes significantly affect the characters, by the way. After this drinking party, Pierre is expelled from Petersburg. And Andrei is about to go to the capital.
Nice comparison!
Wonderfully reflective writing Simon. I think much like you and can relate to parts from each character. The slow read, the chat and your weekly reflections make for incredibly rich reading. Thank you.
PS A fun mystery to recommend if you love mystery novels: The Nightingale Affair by Tim Mason. Florence Nightingale is a lead character!
I’ve been most surprised by how gripping I’ve found the war part!
This is a big surprise for a lot of people!
Yes, I am one of those people who is surprised by how interested I have become in the war chapters. I still remember your very clear admonishment in the introductory FAQ section in response to “Can I skip the ‘war segments’?” — “no!”I read that question and thought that that would have been a question from my younger self. My wiser current self 😉 decided to act on faith in your expertise, not daring to even entertain thoughts of skipping a war scene—- Thanks!
Pierre is my favorite character! He has a lot more depth than I expected after first encountering him. The Freemason story was definitely the most unexpected part of the book. I hope the book ends with Pierre in a place outside of others’ manipulation.
1. Andrei. He speaks to my own heart as a self help addict, always looking for the next thing that will improve me.
2. Also Andrei. He seemed like such a wanker at the start, and he was so terrible to Lise, but - like all of us - he was just doing what he thought he was supposed to.
3. How accessible the language is. Hard to know if that is an artefact of an accessible translation or just built in, but I really thought it would be harder going. We picked up a copy of the three musketeers recently and it was completely impenetrable.
4. I hope there will be more crossover between the families, and I hope Marya will become more of her badass self.
I get a lot out of these weekly reflections and enjoy how much they make me think more about what I have just read. Favourite character is hard but I feel it would be Andrei, he seems to be the one at this point who is reflecting and changing the most. Thank you once again Simon for an excellent summary.
Do you know what would be helpful? If you could coordinate the chapter for each chat segment with the one in the Project Gutenberg text. I often use it to check the text before commenting. I can usually find it by searching on phrases but it takes time. for example, in order to find the current one, Book 2, Part 3, chapter 2, I searched on "we're men not dogs" and scrolled from there, to what the Gutenberg has as Book 6, chapter 3. It doesn't use books and parts, just books.
I did start doing this for the first book, adding the original Maude chapters. At the moment it is one of those jobs I've had to pause because I don't have enough free time (I'm working full time on the readalongs). I'll hopefully add the extra info in future years when I am less stretched. Hopefully the summaries at start of each thread help identify the chapter for now.
I think this book is about many things but ultimately it is about peace being the same as war in that there is always a battle to be fought whether in war or at home in peace. There are winners and losers, grief and glory. Life is a battlefield.