Yesterday I finished reading Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. For eight months I’ve picked up this book while waiting for trains, before setting off to work, after a hard day, and on lunch breaks. It wasn’t a light read, and nor was it a book to be rushed. I savoured moments in every chapter, and I’m sad it’s finished. So here’s my reflection on why I love Anna Karenina and why I think you should read it too. Obviously I can’t write about all of the moments in the book that I loved, but I’m going to dive into a few moments that really made me sit up and listen.

The truth is, I went into reading Anna Karenina thinking it was going just be a situation drama, the usual kind of meandering story that literature teachers read in the summer holidays to give them a bit of a chill pill after a busy term time. Little did I know how many thoughts of psychology, theology, philosophy and ethics would stay with me after reading the decisions that the characters make within their world. I never expected the feelings of the characters to play in my mind when I wasn’t reading the book. I never expected to see both sides of an argument outlined so fairly during a character drama so that I couldn’t know which character to feel more hope/love/sadness for. Reading Anna Karenina has made me aware that our judgements are so often based on just a smidgen of the information that we could have about a situation, and yet, we are so ready to cast our opinions too soon.

There’s a lot to say about the protagonists and what they go through, but I want to focus on a couple of the more minor characters, and how they impact the protagonists, in a bid to point out that for however long we know or interact with another person (even if for a just a few pages of a person’s story) we will never have a true grasp of the measure of significance our relationship has had on their life, or which window or lens we are seeing them through.

Serpuhovskoy, Vronsky’s childhood friend, appears in part three as a character who started out in life with the same opportunities as Vronsky, but who achieved far more success in his career than Vronsky. The parallel between the two characters poses the question; ‘what would have Vronsky been like had he not fallen in love with Anna?’. I found it refreshing to read the compassionate tone in Tolstoy’s writing that brings Serpuhovskoy’s kindness to light as he speaks to Vronsky in a way that is; hardly judging, humble, and carefully considerate of Vronsky’s feelings. The quote that highlights this beautifully is, “Serpuhovskoy’s smile and gestures told Vronsky that he needn’t be afraid, the he would be tender and careful in touching the sore place.” (Tolstoy, 1978:334) You’d be forgiven for thinking of Serpuhovskoy’s scenes as just side plot — an uneventful distraction from the exciting romance of Vronsky and Anna, but his voices comes in so helpfully as he reminds Vronsky of the aspects of reality that may be missed by looking at life through rose tinted glasses. Serpuhovsky’s kind guidance highlights Tolstoy’s intention that the characters be not judged, not even by the characters who have known them the longest.

The second minor character which could easily be looked over is Prince Lvov, who may possibly be my favourite character in the book! Lvov enters the story when we have been reading that Levin’s faith journey is very rocky, later in the book we find out that Levin’s faith journey ends with a revelation of grace and humility. In the scene with Lvov Levin almost glimpses faith, but like a reflection in water, Levin can’t quite make it out, but he notices something different about Lvov and he can’t quite put his finger on what it is. From Tolstoy’s beautiful description of Lvov’s character, we meet a man who knows the work of God in his life. Lvov is described as someone who cares about his children, wishes he has more time for reading and who has created a delightful empire for his family.

As Levin is touched by Lvov’s poor opinion of himself, I couldn’t help but wonder if Tolstoy’s celebration of humility in Lvov clashes with our 2023 goal orientated mindsets of egotism and career climbing. Lvov believes he couldn’t bring his children up without the support of religion, as a children’s minister, I do wonder… where is that awareness today? In just 4 pages of writing, Tolstoy manages to ask some of the biggest questions about raising children in society through introducing us to Lvov, a man who sees his children as model children, despite the naughty behaviour no doubt have done, he latches onto the goodness in them. All of this moves Levin’s thoughts towards faith as he wonders about Lvov’s family. Lvov no doubt is part of Levin’s journey to faith.

Anna Karenina features snowy train station scenes. Snowy train station scenes usually fill me with a cosy sense of warmth but in Anna Karenina, to me it symbolised Anna’s journey. The harsh reality that Anna’s journey with Vronsky both begins and ends with a scene in a train carriage is a sad circle of events. As picturesque as train stations are , the description of Vronsky in his dark overcoat and grief stricken face after Anna’s death gives the train station an eerie and empty vibe. The deep clawing grief that Vronsky suffers after the discovery of Anna’s death, is cemented and sealed by a scene of a by-gone train station setting once budding with conversation and adventure, depicted now as a desolate and sorrowful departure lounge, a shadow of what it once was.

I hope that you too will at some point read what’s known to be the best novel of all time, and experience something of the magic that Anna, Levin, Vronsky and all of the other complex characters bring as you travel with them. I have more to say, but as it just inexhaustible, I encourage you to find your own reflections.