Eugene Onegin in Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Mar 25, 2009 Suvi rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: poetry, _europe-eastern, 1800s

Since I wasn't familiar with novels in verse before now, I was a bit uneasy at first (especially since I thought this was a regular novel), but in the end I got used to it and judged it as an ok form. The thing I had problems with, was that despite the pretty nature descriptions I had difficulties in coming to terms with the characters. It wasn't that they weren't interesting. They were, especially Eugene himself in all his cynical glory, but he like the others were too superficial for my taste. Since I wasn't familiar with novels in verse before now, I was a bit uneasy at first (especially since I thought this was a regular novel), but in the end I got used to it and judged it as an ok form. The thing I had problems with, was that despite the pretty nature descriptions I had difficulties in coming to terms with the characters. It wasn't that they weren't interesting. They were, especially Eugene himself in all his cynical glory, but he like the others were too superficial for my taste. Mere reflections of what might have been. Tatyana for example seems mostly just an ideal image of a sacrificing woman, who, when left disappointed, decides to just settle in a life which she can't feel any passion towards, but which she feels is right. The verses don't give that much room for delving either into the story or the characters, in which a regular novel would have had entirely different chances.

The role of writing and especially reading delighted a dusty bookworm like me. The most interesting thing in the novel was, however, Pu拧kin's stylistic device of breaking the barrier between author and reader by occasionally referring to himself. The reader is not only being talked to, but attention is drawn to the author's own world view, feelings, and views on women (or their feet) among other things. Pu拧kin hints at his own life and work in such manner, that it's in danger of alienating the story itself. Overall it works, though, because it brings certain depth and biographical material to the work, inspiring me to read more about the author (a classic case of being more interested about the person than about the works, I think).

The translator of my Finnish edition notes, that what Peter the Great is to history, Pu拧kin is to literature. I can't comment on that, since my knowledge of Russian literature is pretty weak, but maybe at this stage it was only a good thing to familiarize myself with the "fountainhead of Russian literature", because later I can then compare his influence on such authors as Gogol and Dostoyevsky(hopefully the themes are utilized at a deeper level, though).

The Russian reviews here on 欧宝娱乐 are interesting views on the importance of Onegin in their culture. At this point this just seemed a bit too light for my own taste, mainly just an introduction to 19th century Russian society and its literary culture. Pretty and thought provoking novel, but didn't rock my world. ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Apr 08, 2008 Rebecca rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

Thwarted romance 'n' duels. Tatiana is another adored heroine whose victory is denial. Tis also a treatise on the perils of enacting art. Could've done without the foot fetishism digressions. I guess this review ought to have been in verse, too.

*flaunts prose* ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 09, 2009 Maurine rated it it was amazing

it was beautiful. i regret having to return it to the library.

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 14, 2008 Karina rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiction, poetry, russian

Read in original (i.e. Russian). The frustrating thing about the Russian books we were reading in school is the way we seemingly got introduced to the beginning but never go through to the end... The beginning was good, but then there were all sorts of inconsequential stuff and I couldn't continue. I tried, multiple times, but apparently fell asleep each time ;) Maybe I actually did finish it once -- I remember trying to read the outtakes or something at the end. ...more

Like · see review