Part 2 spans from pages 148 - 262. My question got answered quickly. Directly after I had read part 1 I got to follow along the likes of general Kurutzov directing 35 000 Russian troops, adjutant Bolkonskij with his new endeavours in the Empire of Austria, commandeer Bargnation in the battle of Schönberg and many more valiant (or less valiant) soldiers and superiors.
We got to follow along the Russian army taking on the Napoleonic armies with Tolstoy conveying the infantry rushing to their premature deaths, the valiant hussars falling of their horses in battle and the Russian artillery supporting their fellow comrades from the heights above the battlefield. In the midst of bullets whizing and cannonballs wreaking havoc we get to look inside the minds of the Russian soldiers in their philosophical and spiritual thought processes about life and questions on which place they will have ended up in the following hours.
Tolstoy add depths to these dialogues when adding characters we know from the past. For example we get to ride along Nikolaj Rostov, a noble young prince now hussar soldier. Who made his way from Moscow where he was enjoying rich parties, extraordinary dinners and intercourse with a close family who loved him very much. To which we see him on the gruesome battlefield with dead men lying around him, shortage of both food and water, and with the French men in their blue coats trying to end his life every chance they get.
It was a big epic read of the battle with only one problematic thing, the language. It was many old military words, and a really detailed setup of the battlefield considering Tolstoy was depicting it based on the battle of Schönberg, which was a real battle. This made me unable to get into the flow state. It was very time consuming, I had to look up plenty of words and sometimes I had to read the sentences several times until I finally understood what was said. This made the reading less enjoyable and if I had to choose what part I enjoyed the most I would choose 1. Considering how easier it was to get into a flow state.
Though, with this said I think the mix between the both themes, seeing the contrast between beautiful Moscow to the disheartening scenes at Schönberg, the huge difference the two parts have in both surrounding and on what problems the characters have to go trough, it is the difference and the parts being read after each other that makes for the best experience.
Part 2 spans from pages 148 - 262. My question got answered quickly. Directly after I had read part 1 I got to follow along the likes of general Kurutzov directing 35 000 Russian troops, adjutant Bolkonskij with his new endeavours in the Empire of Austria, commandeer Bargnation in the battle of Schönberg and many more valiant (or less valiant) soldiers and superiors.
We got to follow along the Russian army taking on the Napoleonic armies with Tolstoy conveying the infantry rushing to their premature deaths, the valiant hussars falling of their horses in battle and the Russian artillery supporting their fellow comrades from the heights above the battlefield. In the midst of bullets whizing and cannonballs wreaking havoc we get to look inside the minds of the Russian soldiers in their philosophical and spiritual thought processes about life and questions on which place they will have ended up in the following hours.
Tolstoy add depths to these dialogues when adding characters we know from the past. For example we get to ride along Nikolaj Rostov, a noble young prince now hussar soldier. Who made his way from Moscow where he was enjoying rich parties, extraordinary dinners and intercourse with a close family who loved him very much. To which we see him on the gruesome battlefield with dead men lying around him, shortage of both food and water, and with the French men in their blue coats trying to end his life every chance they get.
It was a big epic read of the battle with only one problematic thing, the language. It was many old military words, and a really detailed setup of the battlefield considering Tolstoy was depicting it based on the battle of Schönberg, which was a real battle. This made me unable to get into the flow state. It was very time consuming, I had to look up plenty of words and sometimes I had to read the sentences several times until I finally understood what was said. This made the reading less enjoyable and if I had to choose what part I enjoyed the most I would choose 1. Considering how easier it was to get into a flow state.
Though, with this said I think the mix between the both themes, seeing the contrast between beautiful Moscow to the disheartening scenes at Schönberg, the huge difference the two parts have in both surrounding and on what problems the characters have to go trough, it is the difference and the parts being read after each other that makes for the best experience.