Vera Rostova
The awkward elder sister in the Rostov household
BOOK ONE
Book 1, Part 1
9 Jan: Chapter 9
Poor Vera, the seventeen-year-old daughter of the Rostovs. Unlike her younger sister Natasha, she was brought up strictly. “The countess was too clever with Vera,” admits the count. She is good-looking, clever, well brought up, with a pleasant voice. She says all the correct things. And yet, something about her makes everyone feel awkward.
11 Jan: Chapter 11
It really is no fun being Vera. “You are not wanted here”, says her mother, who clearly doesn’t like her own daughter very much. Vera goes and takes her anger out on the children, who compare her to Madame de Genlis, a French writer on educational methods. Here we learn she is attached in some way to a man called Berg.
15 Jan: Chapter 15
Vera appears at the name-day banquet on the arm of Berg, that rather dull and egotistical young man.
17 Jan: Chapter 17
She continues to make people unhappy: telling Sonya that she will never be allowed to marry Nikolai. Natasha calls her “spiteful”.
Book 1, Part 3
21 Feb: Chapter 6
Vera, on hearing the news of her brother: "Why are you crying, Maman? From all he says, one should be glad and not cry." They all thought this an odd comment, and the countess wondered, "Who does she take after?"
BOOK TWO
Book 2, Part 1
7 Mar: Chapter 1
Vera gives Nikolai a hug like all the other Rostovs. But she saves up her most Vera moment for the end of the chapter when she pointedly notes that Sonya and Nikolai are now addressing each other formally.
Vera’s remark was correct as her remarks always were, but like most of her observations it made everyone feel uncomfortable.
21 Mar: Chapter 15
When Nikolai is in misery, and Natasha is in bliss, Vera is playing chess with Shinshin. I’m not sure whether she even looked up.
Book 2, Part 3
23 Apr: Chapter 10
As the Rostov finances go from bad to worse, the old count heads to Petersburg with his daughters. Berg is boring everyone with his war stories. He uses his “good-natured egotism” to convince the Rostovs that he is an excellent match for Vera, whom they are ashamed of not loving quite so much. Berg presses the count for a dowry, and an embarrassed Ilya Rostov haggles the wrong way, landing the groom with an extra 20k the Rostovs don’t have and can’t afford.
28 Apri: Chapter 16
At the ball, Natasha is humiliated to be stuck with her older sister, who does not dance, talking about Vera’s green dress.
2 May: Chapter 20
Newlyweds Berg and Vera plan a dinner party in their new apartment. Hélène considers it beneath her to accept the invite, but Pierre bumbles along, upsetting the careful symmetry of the Bergs tidy study. The happy couple are upwardly mobile and want nothing more than to host a party identical to all others, with their social betters as guests.
3 May: Chapter 21
Vera decides her party requires “subtle allusions to the tender passions”, so she asks Andrei what he thinks of Natasha.