So I haven't been blogging for a little while (the result of working on a short story, editing two novels, starting (and unfortunately having to abandon) NaNoWriMo), which means that I didn't get a chance to celebrate this exciting news when it happened a few weeks ago:
The final epilogue almost defeated me (I haven't touched the book in a month) But I've finally finished #War&Peace! 2016 challenge complete
— Heather James (@MakexBelieve) November 16, 2016
That's right, after a second epilogue which very nearly defeated me, I have finally finished War & Peace! And nicely within my one year target too.
At times (the end) it felt like an impossible task, but I really enjoyed the vast majority of the novel. The characters are superbly written and the plot had enough twists, turns, battles and society drama to keep the story racing along. Tolstoy is a masterful storyteller and I loved the way he intertwined the lives of his different characters and kept me wanting to know what was going to happen to them next. I read and loved Anna Karenina in my teens and would definitely like to read Tolstoy's novellas at a later date.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, but not all in one go.
Would I read it again? Probably not. I'll buy the BBC adaptation if I ever want to revisit the characters!
