I have made Morgana and her sprig of holly (see feature on my homepage) available as a Christmassy postcard. For the fans, I guess... *g* It just seemed like fun . And I'm still happy with the picture, even though it's a year old!
In French, actually . I found a nice copy on a Brussels book fair. Sometimes it's a bit difficult to understand everything when Levin goes on about agricultural matters, but apart from that, I read French really easily. More easily than Russian, in any case .
For me it's the first time. It's nearly done. I met several people who told me it was the Best Novel in the Entire World, so I expected to be disappointed. But though it's not my favourite novel of all time, I do think it's completely WOW. Yay for Tolstoy .
Well, I'm one of those who believe it's the Best Novel in the Entire World Even superior than War and Peace, you know. I mean, when I read Anna K it is not like I'm reading a novel, a fiction invented by someone's imagination; I feel it like a *real* matter, instead. Especially in Levin's plot line. Everything he thinks is so true, a real experience, in many ways something I have passed through myself (well, not ruling a farm in rural Russia, obviously ). But his way of thinking, his sensations, his inner problems. I feel them as my own. I do prefer Levin's plot line to Anna's ten times. I don't enter so deeply into Anna's mind as I do with Levin (and Kitty).
Oh yes, me too! I love Levin and his reflexions. The only times when I can't follow him at all is when he insists on purity in women. That's SO 19th-century and double standard. In that, he's really no better than those people who condemn Anna just because she is a woman and an adulteress. Oh, and he's unreasonably jealous. I don't like that in a man (nor in a woman, of course) .
I've never considered that Levin was applying double standard before, in truth. On the contrary, when he gives his journal to Kitty before their marriage, he feels inferior to her because of his past. In general, I don't think he reasonates so much about women (apart from longing for Kitty at the beginning, I mean ) As for the jealousy, I can totally understand him, being quite a jealous person myself. In any case, Kitty is just as jealous as him (think of Levin's visit to Anna at the end). Most of all, I take Levin as Tolstoj's counterpart in the novel, and I feel respect for him and for his inner search.
Off topic: I arrived in London today and visited the National Portrait Gallery (as I always do when I'm here), to pay homage to Richard III's portrait (ehm...). And I discovered that there are on display two original photos of Wilde, one alone, and one with Bosie. The *real* photo! I was all like, "I have to tell this to Sigune!!!". Unfortunately, Bosie's picture was not on sale in the museum shop
As for the jealousy, I can totally understand him, being quite a jealous person myself. In any case, Kitty is just as jealous as him (think of Levin's visit to Anna at the end).
Most of all, I take Levin as Tolstoj's counterpart in the novel, and I feel respect for him and for his inner search.
Off topic: I arrived in London today and visited the National Portrait Gallery (as I always do when I'm here), to pay homage to Richard III's portrait (ehm...). And I discovered that there are on display two original photos of Wilde, one alone, and one with Bosie. The *real* photo! I was all like, "I have to tell this to Sigune!!!".
Unfortunately, Bosie's picture was not on sale in the museum shop