Youyang’s Reviews > War and Peace > Status Update

I cannot believe I finished this! It's such a long and winding journey. The writing is absolutely brilliant. Initially, I found the characters either not interesting or unlikeable , but I grew so attached to them that I felt we were on more intimate terms than anyone in real life. The only thing I hate is that Natasha became a jealous wife who dropped her singing to focus on serving Pierre and raising their children.

Completed volume 3. Brutal...Moscow is given up by Serene highness Kutuzov, vacated by its royal inhabitants, occupied and looted by the French army, and burnt. Before leaving town, to appease the wrath of the people gathered in front of his mansion, the governor threw them a political prisoner, declaring that he was a spy who caused all these agony and loss--they should kill him. They proceeded to beat him to death.

Completed volume 3. Brutal...Moscow is given up by Serene highness Kutuzov, vacated by its royal inhabitants, occupied and looted by the French army, and burnt. Before leaving town, to appease the wrath of the people gathered in front of his mansion, the governor threw them a political prisoner, declaring that he was a spy who caused all these agony and loss--they should kill him. They proceed to beat him to death.

Completed volume 3. Brutal...Moscow is given up by Serene highness Kutuzov, vacated by its royal inhabitants, occupied and looted by the French army, and burnt. Before leaving town, to satiate the wrath of the people gathered in front of his mansion, the governor threw them a political prisoner, declaring that he was a spy who caused all these agony and loss--they should kill him. They proceed to beat him to death.

Currently with Pierre at the center of the battlefield as a bystander. Terrified. Added several new words to my vocabulary though: plenipotentiary, redoubt, shako, flèches, grapeshot, bayonet, scruff.

Currently with Pierre at the center of the battlefield as a bystander. Terrified. Added several new words to my vocabulary though: plenipotentiary, redoubt, shako, flèches, grapeshot, bayonet, scruff.

Currently with Pierre at the center of the battlefield as a bystander. Terrified. Added several new words to my vocabulary though: plenipotentiary, redoubt, shako, flèches, grapeshot, bayonet, scruff.

Currently with Pierre at the center of the battlefield as a bystander. Terrified. Learned several new vocabulary though: redoubt, shako, flèches, grapeshot.

Completed Volume 3, Part 1. The war started again, and the Tsar left the army at the frontline for Moscow to raise more people and money. His mere presence made everyone emotional and zealous, and he cried as he made poignant speeches. I vaguely remember that Moscow was burnt at some point and Napoleon's large army was frozen to death after that (I could be wrong). I dread to read on but I can't stop either...

Completed Volume 2, and all is not well. My heart aches for Natasha. Although it is not entirely her fault, she is blamed by all parties involved and by onlookers. They think she's vain, frivolous, shallow, and foolish for giving up someone so noble for someone so contemptible. Yet B never took much effort to nurture their relationship, absent much longer than promised and his family loathed her before they met her.