So I really want to tackle the behemoth that is War and Peace. I purchased it a long time ago and feel that is something I owe it to myself to read. Now I’m a very capable reader and I’d consider myself up to the task of most books, I’m not at all put off by the length of it and the setting/subject is also to me a very interesting one (as is Tolstoy himself)
I have 2 issues, one of which I have come up against before and largely failed to deal with.
I suffer from what I call book intimidation. With something like this, I do question myself. Am I able? Will I appreciate it? Will it live up to its reputation, even if I don’t necessarily “like” it?
I buy a book I really find interesting, something I feel like I need to have ticked off and it sits there building up an intimidating presence. I started it lately, struggled to even get into a flow with what was on the page and decided it best not to frustrate myself and have another go another time, which brings me to issue 2.
The language and style I found a little alien, therefore jarring and hard to sink into the rear maybe this is a result of it being a translation, I’ve read other translations before but never from Russian to English and of course this is quite an old book too so Tolstoys style even if he was writing in English would be quite alien.
Is there something I can read prior to having another go that might aid me? Or do I just have to battle through. I know I said the length doesn’t trouble me but if it’s consuming lots of time that is forced then I’ll just want to read something that’ll feel like a good use of time.
by Individual-Idea8794