War and Peace discussion thread

[TooExtraImmatureCheddar]

For all things Rostov, Bezukhov and Bolkonsky - come in, pour yourself some tea from the samovar and settle down to debate love, politics, war and religion. Or if that sounds too hard, you can just bitch about the Freemasons or the BBC version.

Spoilers - what do people think? It will be a bit hard to discuss without posting any spoilers, but maybe we could write SPOILER! at the beginning of a post if it has something major in it.

I am 45% into it on my Kindle, but it's taken me 2 years to get this far! How far has everyone else got?

I bought the BBC books version in sauna virus the other day. It is part of the penguin random house group if that means anything, but is this a simplified edition? I should hope it doesn't stray far from the original translation. The details which stand out so for to me are the names. Andrew instated of Andrei and Nicholas instead of Nikolai.

Sainsburys! Not sauna virus!

CeeBeeBee It sounds like the Maude translation to me. It's just a very early translation, not an abridged one.

I don't particularly like the anglicising of the names but, apart from that, it's supposed to be very readable. I can't speak personally, though, as I haven't read that version.

Thanks Natasha. I did go back and check since starting this thread and you're right, it's the Maude version.

I've finished!!!

It took 2 months in the end and I obviously didn't make my end of January target, but never mind.

I did enjoy it but the 1812 war stuff was a bit much in places. Loved all the Rostov/Bezukhov/Bolkonski bits though. I think it will be one of those books that I remember and think about for a long time.

Am going to read through the full thread, now I don't need to worry about spoilers.

I've finished!!! Well done.

I'm not far behind you - I have 2% left. But I'm finding the last section a bit of a slog, TBH. I read a couple of pages and then have a break. Or, worse, read a bit and realise that I haven't retained anything. I liked the actual novel but the history theory is making me lose the will to live.
Tolstoy doesn't half go on. And on and on.

On the advice of this thread, I didn't read epilogue 2

regeneration I think you were very wise. I would like to leave it but having got about half way through I might as well see it out to the bitter end.

Epilogue 2 was awful but I thought I might as well read it having got that far. Ended up sitting down last night and forcing myself to read until it was finished. I really don't know why he thought it was a good way to end the book, rather than just stopping at the end of Epilogue 1. His history theory stuff is just so rambling and repetitive - the same point stretched out for ages....

Hope you get it finished soon Natasha!

Thanks, Looking, me too. I think I'll follow your example and just get on with it. Otherwise, I may still be sitting here this time next year.

I don't think I'm any sort of a writer but I could seriously have given Tolstoy a lesson on how not to finish a great novel...

Me too! I hated Epilogue 2. It was just so pointless and brain-hurty.

Oh god does that mean I'm going to have to read it too? I keep thinking about the characters. Maybe Epilogue 2 is meant to put you past caring!

Natasha - saw on the other thread that you'd finished. Well done! I know exactly what you mean about wanting to hang out the bunting. I actually had to restrain myself from posting on Facebook that I'd finished - felt like I wanted to tell the world but clearly FB friends aren't going to be interested much.

I can't help but feel that Tolstoy needed an editor. Brilliant writer, yes, but parts of it are just unnecessary. Glad to see everyone agrees about Epilogue 2! regeneration - I really wouldn't feel forced to go back and read it!

regeneration Honestly, save your sanity and don't bother. Having Ep. 2 read to you could be used in place of anaesthetic. Cheddar hit the nail on the head: brain-hurty indeed.

Looking - Yes, exactly so. I felt a bit like after I'd given birth. You know, wanting to tell everyone about this amazing thing I'd achieved. And absolutely no bugger in my family cares. All this pride and nowhere to put it. Apart from here, obviously.

The only thing is that, now, I'm wishing I'd made a few notes about stuff as I was going along because I've forgotten a lot of the things I thought of as I was reading.

OK I won't bother then! Phew! I'm reading some mindless rubbish I picked up in a holiday let, then might have a go at Anna Karenina again!

Mindless rubbish sounds very appealing right now.

Strangely, I'm also tempted by AK. Don't think I have the stamina quite yet, though.

Oooh, I forgot I was going to try AK until I read this. I'm supposed to be finishing Vanity Fair by March 5th, though, and I've hardly made any headway at all.

Anna Karenina is nowhere near as long as War and Peace and very readable too if that is any consolation.