Anna Karenina Readalong, 2023

I'm really enjoying the book so far. Vronsky is interesting, does he really not see anything wrong with leading Kitty on in this way? It reminds me a little of the marriage machinations in Edith Wharton novels (set in high society New York about 20 years later than AK is set), it was terrifyingly easy for women to put a foot wrong in courtship or general behaviour and it could ruin their life. The stakes were so high.

Part 1 chapter 17

•	The next morning, Oblonsky and Vronsky arrive at the train station at the same time. Oblonsky is picking up his sister Anna Karenina (we're finally going to meet the title character), and Vronsky is picking up his mother.
•	They chat about Levin and Kitty. Oblonsky finds Levin a nice, but conservative young man. Still, Oblonsky thinks that Levin is a fundamentally decent guy. Vronsky thinks that he's, yes, educated and upstanding, but also edgy and angry.
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•	The train arrives.
•	Vronsky feels, that as a member of society, he ought to show obedience and respect for his mother. In actuality though, the more outward obedience and respect he shows, the less he actually feels for her.

I do think the characters are so well drawn. Vronsky has so many bad qualities yet we finish the chapter almost nodding along... yes, why should he enjoy family life?! So clever!

Part 1, Chapter 16

In this chapter, we get a glimpse into Vronsky's head.

•	He's never had a real family life. His mother was renowned for her beauty and her affairs. Vronsky barely remembers his father. He was more or less brought up in the Corps of Pages, a military school, where he became a brilliant officer.

•	Vronsky is rich, charming, and handsome—of course he's been pretty lucky with the ladies.
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•	Used to the devices of society women (about which we'll find out more in a later chapter), Kitty's pure heart has something rare and charming about it, and Vronsky's delighted with her company.
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He is completely unaware that he might be leading her on, or that he's expected to propose to Kitty after courting her so publicly.

•	Marriage doesn't seem like a possibility to him. Vronsky doesn't like family life, and pictures the role of the family, and especially that of the husband, as completely alien to him, ridiculous, even.
•	

He goes to bed quite undisturbed, and happy that he had a pleasant night at the Shcherbatsky house.

LOL - I see I'm not alone in my confusion!

I'm enjoying this and finding it easier to get into than I did W&P in the early chapters. I must admit I'm distracted though by the similarities between characters in the two books. In my head I keep confusing Levin with Pierre and Kitty with Natasha. Vronsky so far is a mash-up of Anatole Kuragin with his flirtatiousness and Nikolai Rostov with his selfish disregard of others' feelings and concerns - at least in my head!

Nah. Levin is infatuated with an idealised version of Kitty. Once the shine has worn off and he's left with a real person, he'll fall out of 'love' with her as quickly as he did her sisters.

Kitty needs to sack them both off.

Gosh this is like candy compared to War and Peace, ha. I'm really enjoying it.

Looks like from today's chapter that Kitty's dad is right and Vronsky is only up for a fling, not marriage!

So many parallels between Pierre/Levin and Natasha/Kitty.

At the moment I'm thinking, Kitty, just go for Levin, he really loves you and he will make you happier in the end.

I thought he came across as immature, but it's early days yet!

Not bbc chapter obv! Just chapter

I am naive enough to have been shocked by the latest BBC chapter. Feel silly for not expecting this.

I'm not enamoured with Vronsky, he doesn't seem to have much personality and just goes along with the room. I'm even more wary after hearing what the Prince said. It might just be that he is biased because he favours Levin, but maybe he's into something.

Difficult to say - I haven’t read the book before but have read enough blurb not to be entirely neutral! I do think Tolstoy sympathises with the socially awkward Levin so am hoping the meek shall inherit…

I’m really enjoying the book so far. I really liked this chapter - Kitty and Dolly’s dad’s view of Stiva is a nice antidote to the earlier section which felt like an apologia for Stiva’s behaviour. I like how we inhabit different mindsets along the way.

Part 1, Chapter 15

•	After the party, Kitty feels bad about the mess with Levin, but at the same time can't feel too bad because Vronsky's in her life.

•	Her parents have a raging argument about the situation. The Prince feels strongly that Vronsky isn't really in love with Kitty, whereas Levin is a man who loves Kitty.

•	He yells at his wife for all her machinations. The Princess actually begins to start having doubts.
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•	They make the sign of the cross over each other and go to bed.

Yes, this is definitely more readable than W&P, at times it was a real slog with the war sections. Hopefully the farming in this book isnt the 'war' equivalent!

Yes, I'm really enjoying the first chapters, much more than War & Peace.

I think it's so exciting- we've already met some great characters and bonded with them in some way already as they are very alive - Stepan, Levin, Kitty, Dolly, Vronsky.

And then you realise we haven't even met Anna yet and she's the one the books about!!

Part 1, Chapter 13

•	Kitty is compared to a young man going into combat, as she prepares herself to go out to a party where she might receive a proposal of marriage.

Tonight is also the night when her two suitors, Levin and Vronsky, will meet one another for the first time.

•	Levin sits down with her and stammers out his proposal.

•	Kitty refuses him, saying, "It is impossible. Forgive me."

Part 1, Chapter 14

•	The Princess finally comes into the room, and begins to question Levin about life in the country.

•	Countess Nordston, a friend of Kitty's, enters. She's rooting for Vronsky, and really dislikes Levin.

•	Countess Nordston and Levin outwardly look like they're on friendly terms, but they secretly dislike each other. The Countess tries to pick a fight with him over the status of the peasantry (a.k.a. muzhiks) by saying that all of the tenants on her lands spend all of their time drinking and not paying rent.
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•	Vronsky arrives. Levin is curious to see what sort of man he is, since Levin knows that Vronsky is his main rival for Kitty's affections.

•	They all make idle conversation about which is better, the countryside or the city, and Levin keeps meaning to leave but can't figure out how, because he feels somehow that he is waiting for something.

•	They then have a discussion on spiritualism, in which Countess Nordston believes.

•	Levin is awkward in advancing his rationalist opinion, and has to be saved by Kitty and Vronsky. In particular, Vronsky feels that the conversation has become tense, and turns the conversation to electricity, a new force that science is just beginning to understand.

•	Levin counters that electricity was the discovery of an existing phenomenon, but that spiritualism depends on the invention of a medium who wants it to be there. In other words, we can observe electricity without imagining what it will do next or knowing where it comes from, but spiritualism is based on wishful thinking about moving tables and spirits.

•	Everyone feels a little bit embarrassed by Levin's passion and seriousness. To break the awkwardness, Vronsky suggests that they search out a table and give this spiritualism thing a try.
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Kitty feels bad about turning Levin down, but at the same time is happy with her choice of Vronsky.
•
• Kitty's father comes in and obviously favors Levin over Vronsky.

•	Vronsky asks Kitty if she's going to the ball next week, and her happy face is the last thing Levin sees before he slips out the door.

So far I'm enjoying this more than War & Peace at the same stage. Fewer characters to keep track of!

Tolstoy's writing of Levin's awkwardness is so visceral. Onto chapter 14 and after he replies to the adversarial Countess Rostov for the second time with the same comment, well I cringed all the way to my toes.

Yes, feeling increasing sympathy for the provincial Levin amongst these sneering metropolitans. According to my blurb, Levin is based on Tolstoy himself so presumably that's why we align with him so much. Yes,he's a bit dull, awkward and pedantic but he seems sincere.

Reading Russian literature makes it very clear why there was a Revolution!

I was amused by the references to the differences in marriage freedoms for women in France,Russia and ever so liberal Britain. Having just finished Woman In White, I'm not sure I concur !

I really enjoyed the proposal, it showed how awkward Levin is and Kitty’s immaturity.
“mumble mumble wife?”
”nah….soz”

No over-written speeches needed

Hmmm after reading today's chapter I'm not that convinced about Kitty not having some romantic feelings for Levin. I did feel sorry for him as well.

Also I totally missed the fact that the Shcherbatsky brother is dead.