Just finished reading the first few chapters of volume two of War and Peace by Tolstoy (I have two volumes by Giulio Enaudi Editore: the first volume covers the 1805-1811 Timeline, whilst the second one covers the 1812-1820 Timeline), and I have to say that I'm thrilled.
I adore the time period it is set in (I especially adore the Napoleonic era, having a book written by famous British Writer Andrew Roberts, called "Napoleon: a life), and I love how all the fictional (and real) characters act and feel in this "fictional" (although It is set in real life) world.
I love Pierre's attitude (very shy and unnatural at the beginning of the novel), and I also love how his character develops: how he goes from an illegitimate heir educated abroad, not very accustomed to Russian life, to a masonic lodge member who tries to find the answer to the question: "How can someone be morally just in a morally unjust world?". He goes from down to top with the death of his father, going from the "illegitimate son of a rich count" to "a rich man who, because of his enormous wealth, gets thrown inside the Russian élite."
Andrej is somewhat of a complex and deeply philosophical character: he goes from Aide-de-camp to General Kutuzov, going through a process of happiness, glory, grief and despair in the span of a couple of chapters and books; to a more "deep" but happy figure. He notices young Natasha at the 1810 ball and decides to propose to her, admiring her beauty and pureness. But then, everything gets ruined by Anatole and the whole thing goes down in flames between him and Natasha.
Nikolaj, Andrej's father, is a very funny character: he swings from excitement to rage in the span of a couple of minutes, being capable of giving a hard time to his guests and, in the span of a couple of seconds, going into a more "manic" excitement, whilst hiding all his deep feeling for his family. He is an old soldier (and general), who, as the novel says, has been exiled into his mansion at Lysye Gory (Bald Hills) by Czar Paul I. No one speaks about this character, although I have always been "fond" (it would be too much of a big word) of it.
Nikolaj Rostov is the typical young russian Hussar: he drinks, gambles and dreams about meeting with Alexander I (and he does meet him); his friendship with Denisov, his officer, is a nice little break from the serious aspect of the book. Either way, he's a nice young man who does some poor decisions in the book.
I would love to write more about this book, but it's getting kinda long and boring to write my analysis on some of the characters. I will try to read the second volume and to "experiment" and analyze as much as I can.
For now, I have to stop. I hope this post gets all the reviews (even negative ones) it deserves.
by Justanotheryankee-12