Anna K. by Jenny Lee: 3.5/5.
This book was a fun, quick read and the perfect pick-me-up for a meh week. I LOVE modern re-tellings of classic literature, so this Book of the Month pick was right up my alley. It reads like an episode of Gossip Girl, full of cavalier references to yachts and Instagram-speak, while incorporating the plot of Anna Karenina. The events unfold at breakneck speed and include all the staples of YA drama: parties, heartbreak, sex, drugs, and complex, fragile social dynamics.
Overall, Lee does a good job of balancing the many points of view and storylines in this retelling. It includes a Tolstoy-sized cast of characters, most of whom are given americanized names for easier reading. All the principle characters from the original novel can be found, and none are noticeably shortchanged on screen time.
However, what this re-imagining gains in twenty-first century pop culture references and "teen speak," it loses in real profundity or insight. Don't pick this up expecting many real Tolstoy-esque passages of wisdom or beauty. This is the parties, drama, and glamor of Anna Karenina with the same emotional depth you would expect to find on an ABC Family TV show. That's not to say there is no heart, but it does not aim nor hit as deeply or poignantly as its source material.
This novel is all the escapism and fun that comes with these tales of first world problems and first love. For that reason, as long as you know not to look for any Tolstoy poetry, it's an funny and enjoyable read to brighten any dull day.
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