War and Peace: Day 23, Page 532

    Starting a novel larger than a brick could definitely be considered ambitious, yet for a literary enthusiast like I am it is almost impossible to hold back from the challenge. I can already vouch for the fact that Leo Tolstoy's most famous novel, War and Peace, is one that should be featured on anyone's must-read list. Although I originally had a sense of obligation towards the classic, once I got past the initial descriptions of the many characters, the book came to life. Now that I am 500 pages into it I  realise that this classic's reputation is completely valid. It really is an epic novel, and has become something that I can't go anywhere without. 

   Although I'm not one for romantic plots, the novel finally captured my attention in Volume 2. It is the most peaceful section yet, and the part where my (current) favorite character Natasha finally finds true love. For those who don't understand love, Natasha's description of it is very moving: 

"This is quite different. I feel at peace and settled. I know that no better man than he exists, and I am calm and contented now." (p. 522) Tolstoy writes about her as if she is the simplest woman in existence  She is never depicted as a flirt or a fake. I'm hoping that Tolstoy won't drastically change her character by the end of the novel. When I realised that she had to wait a year to marry the prince, it only added to the excitement that I felt while breezing through the novel's second and third parts. However, as calming as this section of the book is, I'm very much looking forward to the return of the war in Volume 3. 

   Hopefully this (b)log will guide me in reading Tolstoy's extremely well-constructed novel. Although the descriptions are lengthy, the chapters are never entirely dry, so I'm hoping it will come along quickly and easily. I have already learned many things from reading War and Peace and I haven't even reached its halfway point. So far the most important thing I can share is that reading a big book is not that scary. Taking your time is important, because if you rush it--like I did at the beginning--you will get lost. When I realised how enjoyable War and Peace really was, I finally started digesting the text. I'm hoping that the gratitude that comes with reading the novel will push me to the end of the tome that many consider "mission impossible."