The Classics discussion

How do you like all the main characters so far? Is anyone getting on your nerves yet?

My nerves are still unencumbered :D

I was starting to sympathize a lot with Levin, but his regard for aristocracy makes him a little less likable.

I'm nearly halfway into Part II; haven't gotten to Levin being annoying yet. :) I'm still sympathizing.

Levin annoys me a little, with all his rhapsodizing about the countryside. I agree with him, I think he's a nice guy, but I don't care for all the speeches and inner rhapsodizing.

I have always sympathized with Dolly.

I feel like Levin's rhapsodizing is a defense; he's heartbroken and taking refuge in his job, and his rant about aristocracy is also defensive.

That said, I'm only just through Book II, so I've got a lot more to learn about everyone.

I do feel like Dolly is set up from the beginning as one of our few really virtuous characters.

I was a little sympathetic to Vronsky in the beginning, but like you, Catherine, as the book progresses, my sympathy for him wanes.

And Anna is insufferably selfish and self-absorbed. I feel sorry for Karenin! I don't find him such a bad person.

I don't think you can pigeonhole anyone into either good or bad. This book is massive, and famous, for a reason: the characters are all human and complicated. Nobody thinks they're bad: they're just weak or foolish people who do bad things. I can relate to that; I think I'm good, but I've certainly done some bad things due to weakness or foolishness. That's what I think makes this book so awesome.

Also...I just dropped in on a "Scariest books ever" thread and was reminded that just a couple days ago, when I was reading a scene from Part III, I distinctly thought, "This is as scary as anything I've ever read." I thought it was absolutely gripping and horrifying.

If you're curious, MILD SPOILER FOR PART III: It's the day after Anna confesses her indiscretion to her husband.

In some ways it's difficult to like Levin. It's easy to do physical labour when you want to rather than having to do it all the time. He has options where his worker have few. It is my understanding that Levin is the character closest to that of Tolstoy himself.