Russian Novel length post

In regards to my last post, I think it's rather happy that my silliness and ignorance gains the result of very wise counsel, from quite a number of friends. I think the conclusion here is that my friends are very good. (and rather very merciful I think :) )

Very recently, in addition to starting the Brothers Karamazov, I have been reading a commentary on the Ladder to Divine Ascent. The former was inspired by having read Anna Karenina, one of my top two favorite books along with Jane Eyre. Having written the last sentence, I think I won't post on what I was going to, and just post on Anna Karenina. (I feel too lazy to put it in italics again)
My liking for Anna K. roots in my enjoyment for the one Trollope book I read, The Eustace's Diamonds. Books on people are my favorite usually, so books like these, which are a good 900 pages each are wonderful. I never am quite happy when a book is only three hundred pages, because I feel most people are more complicated than three hundred pages. There just isn't time for anything to develop! At least, not develop beautifully, and richly.
This brings me to my love for Anna K. :) Russia, in my family is kind of a theme. I am probably something like negative twelve percent Russian, so I figure it fills the criteria for unrelated knowledge nicely. ;)

Besides my family comfort with Russian.. ness? and how deeply it is rooted in my church, I love how rich Russia is. Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, exemplify this I think. Very deep music, not usually very major, (as far as key) and juxtapose sadness so beautifully with joy. Not usually with happiness, (from the little I have heard) but a very deep rooted joy. Much difference in how they sound. :) I always have been found of dark rich colors, beautiful reds and golds, greens.. richness. Russia seems very like this.

So in Anna K. firstly there is such an amazing level of quality, it's awe-inspiring, lovely. Secondly, it shows something in a book I have almost never seen. The whole book people go back and forth "in grace", I've been thinking of it a lot lately because I have been reading Wesley. People can choose to be in this state of grace and mercy from God, but they can leave it, falling from grace. And then they can still go back to grace again! (900 pages is a fantastic thing)It's such a fine line in the book. People's choices are rooted in this colored web of past actions and occurrences, and all the past choices people make affect their next choices. Also, even the good people are imperfect. One of the most profound things I saw in that respect is the conclusion one of the main characters comes to at the very very very end of the book. I shan't say it here from fear of people being angry at my ruining the book for them. But really, if you read Russian books, no-one really thinks it is going to be Disney Land, right? ;) Again Russian seems to tend more to joy, than happiness. (from the little I have seen)
Wheee! killing whole paragraphs for brevity's sake! And failing miserably!

Okay, Anna Karenina is a good book I think. :)