Read Runners discussion

Post your comments or opinions for this section here :)

I know I am a day early in creating this thread but thought of doing it in case, one of you is surging ahead :)

Just started this part.
Was procrastinating with the book as I reached the boring war strategy chapters.

Is it getting better or is it all war still?

Andrew has gone with a missive to some friend's home. Hope it gets better.

Okay, I will pick it up Monday.

2 chapters through. Things are still insipid.
I feel that Anna Karenina was easier.

I'm currently on chapter 13 of book 2. It's still all war talk. It's long, drawn out, and dull but that's typical for a book that was written in the Victorian age. I haven't read Anna Karenina. I've heard some people love it and others loathe it. I suppose that's the case for War and Peace.

In Chapter 14 this made me laugh,

(view spoiler)["Who are they? Why are they running? Can they be coming at me? And why? To kill me? Me whom everyone is fond of?" He remembered his mother's love for him, and his family's, and his friends', and the enemy's intentions to kill him seemed impossible."

I'm mean honestly, think much of yourself? haha. that was narcissism at it's best. ;)

With all that said, I do have to say that this little bit of ending of chapter 14 was the best part of the war so far. Tolstoy brought in Russian sharpshooters. (hide spoiler)]

I finished with book two and now have four chapters to read until I'm finished with this little section. I have to say it's still dull (at least for me) until things pick up near the end of chapter 14. Even in chapter 15 it picks up so that's good.

Okay I finished reading this section. Here are my thoughts:

(view spoiler)[Poor Pierre, people being fake around him, hoping to gain something. He is around very fake people. It would really be difficult to be in that situation. Have all these people around you but they don't really care for you, just your title.

Anna P, my goodness you little matchmaker. Pierre and Helene. He does have lustful thoughts about her. I can't believe how she is so full of herself. “You had no noticed that I am a woman? Yes, I am a woman who may belong to anyone—to you too.”

Pierre is really thinking about this. He lusts for her but he even doubts himself, even thinks of her as “stupid”. He even knows that she had an incestuous relationship with her brother Anatole. Then he starts to build her up again but I think it's more talking himself into it.

Poor princess Mary. They are talking about how homely she is. I feel so bad for her that she also thinks herself ugly. She really is a kind person. Not wanting to marry yet make everyone around her happy. (hide spoiler)]

Am still trudging on with barely 3 chapters completed. As it is vacation time for my son and we are constantly on the move I can only concentrate on lighter books.

It picks up at the end of Chapter 14 in Book 2 then in Book 3 we get back to the society folks. It gets better, but first there is a lot of boring war talk.