I had low and scary expectations of War & Peace. But just shy of halfway through, I can confidently say I’m thoroughly enjoying it. The characters are developing beautifully, the story is winding its way through the human condition and we have at last cleared the military sections.
The plot thus far
Some dramatic things have happened to our cast of characters since the end of Part 3. This next section spans four years, and we watch them grow in various ways.
Prince Andrew loses his wife and becomes first a depressed and cynical atheist, the a depressed humanitarian. A budding new love as just arrived, bringing him back to happiness again.
Pierre has come to drips with the immoral nature of his wife, separated from her, rejoined her and even become a Freemason. At this point, he wants virtue but is struggling deeply to attain any of it. Mostly he continues in his vices, but is still striving to change. Something is missing for him. Will he find it?
Two other young characters, Nicholas and Boris are becoming men of the world. Their innocent childhood is quickly being left behind. But will this charge into the world be their downfall or cause a late return to grace?
How it’s going
As I said, I’m loving it. Didn’t expect this, but here we are. This book is a joy to read. I’ve got the hang of all the characters now. We’re out of the detailed, and admittedly dull, chapters about the Russian-French war.
While there’s no distinct plot line here, it is a masterful representation of the human condition. Tolstoy seems adept at capturing the emotions that we go through when faced with vice, virtue, suffering, challenge and change. Various personalities are draw with powerful precision. It makes for very enjoyable reading, but also provides food for meditation.
Do you have similar weaknesses? How would you deal with them?
Could you show the strength of character captured in these characters?
Read on and reflect, comrade!
