Each time I enter Tolstoy’s world of the romantically depressed Anna Arkadyevna, the in-over-his-head Aleksei Kirillovich (Vronsky), the joyful Stepan Arkadyich and the ultimate sweetness Ekaterina Alexandrovna (Kitty), I enter a world I don’t ever want to depart. The happy and fun parts aren’t the only thing capturing my attention, because to me even the depressing, lonely parts seem a step up from my own life.

I have lived in the country for many years, but every inch of my love for it is nothing compared to the passionate way Tolstoy describes Levin’s provincial life and the way he deals with it all. There’s a story about how Levin joins his muzhiks in the fields and helps them with the mowing, which is told so fervently and realistic that you can almost feel the high grass swaying against your own body.¹

All the love affairs also feel like they’re happening in the now, every single one at the same time, every affair with the same intensity. From the unlucky romantic choices Anna Arkadyevna (Karenina²) makes throughout the story (and believe me, they are very unlucky and unfortunate ones), to the emotional and heartfelt search for love present in Kitty’s life, but which is also very pressing in Levin’s life, Vronsky’s, and Dolly’s. Even the coldhearted Aleksei Alexandrovich, Anna’s husband, gets a sympathy vote once every so chapter.

What do I want to say with all of this? Nothing in particular, just that Anna Karenina is truly one of the best literary works of all time. It’s not only the engaging story that elevates it to majestical height, the way it all is structured is also above anything else. The many chapters, combined with the fact that it all is packed into eight overwhelming parts, keep the interest alive and give you room to breath between mind blowing paragraphs, full of eventful and magical happenings.