The death of Ivan Ilych

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Leo Tolstoy: The death of Ivan Ilych (1990, Creative Education)

128 pages

English language

Published July 15, 1990 by Creative Education.

ISBN:
978-0-88682-298-9
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3 stars (1 review)

Ivan Ilych, a peaceful public official in the Russian provinces, has his life permanently changed by a serious illness which no doctor can accurately diagnose.

97 editions

The fascination of the mundane - but with rather flat prose

3 stars

I'd been wanting to dive into some Russian classics for a while, and Google told me this one was the most accessible so there it is.

Found a cheap used copy from a little independent store, result!

Unfortunately, and I wonder if it was maybe due to the translator, I found the prose a little flat, lacking much depth or character.

I did like the story, there's something quite fascinating about a tale of the fantastically mundane.

I did also like how it ended but of course I won't say any spoilers here.

So... I didn't love this book.

I liked it but I didn't love it.

It is short and accessible so if you're like me and just wanting to experience some Tolstoy in a few hours, it's a good choice.

Subjects

  • Sick -- Fiction.
  • Death -- Fiction.
  • Soviet Union -- Fiction.