Fathers and Sons by Ivan TurgenevMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was my first read of a Russian novel. What a wonderful book!
Because there are so many scenes where there occurs a dialogue between two characters only, it often reads like a play - George Bernard Shaw, perhaps.
On the other hand, the depiction of the peasant-class versus the aristocracy, is more like Dickens, but the descriptions of the natural world are akin to Keats!
I was amazed at the French and English influence that was present at the time of the novel (mid-1800s) and even more amazed that a man aged, 50 was considered old, and past it.
I would read another Turgenev in a minute; in fact, I would reread "Fathers and Sons", which is saying much.
One thing that I found a little disconcerting was Rosemary Edmonds' translation of the peasants. They sounded like they had come off the set of "My Fair Lady" rather than having what I imagine the Russian colloquialisms or dialects would be.
This translation was done in the 1960s, and I can't help, but wonder if a more recent one would handle the language differently.
If you have not ever read a Russian work of literature, fear not this little book, for it is simple to read and reaps great rewards to the one who opens its pages.
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I love Turgenev's writing and other Russian writers too. Translation does play a huge role in how we perceive a novel, interesting what you say here about the way the peasants were translated
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