Persisting with “Anna Karenina”, and I will miss it when completed

I am still listening to “Anna Karenina” and will probably miss it when I have finished. It has gone on, in my ears, in my daily life for what seems months now.

This is not, note, a book that could be described as a ‘page turner’. I put my wife onto it, and she also listened to the audiobook. As she has a longer commute to work than me, she has finished it before me.

But she was singularly unimpressed. She grimly persisted, even though she was not enjoying it and found it tedious and boring. And I can understand how she felt.

I, too, am wondering about the amount of time I have invested in the book to date, and the remaining 3 hours and 15 minutes left. Yet I believe I will miss it when it is over.

I will miss the writing, the minute descriptions of individuals, scenes, thoughts, conversations, and the credible, fully formed characters.

And I will miss the close insight into life in 19th century Russia, Moscow, St. Petersburg. I will miss Tolstoy’s writing.

For these reasons I am enjoying it but if you are looking for a book that will have you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next, Anna Karenina is not it.

Perhaps I will have some profound insight at the end, and everything will fall into place. Maybe I will see why this book is one of the most highly regarded books in literature.

For now, I am simply accepting the book for what it is and do believe I will miss it when I have finished.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.