The death of Ivan Ilyich

by

English language

Published Aug. 10, 2002

ISBN:
978-0-375-76099-0
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3 stars (1 review)

The Death of Ivan Ilyich (also Romanized Ilich, Ilych, Ilyitch; Russian: Смерть Ивана Ильича, romanized: Smert' Ivána Ilyicha), first published in 1886, is a novella by Leo Tolstoy, considered one of the masterpieces of his late fiction, written shortly after his religious conversion of the late 1870s. Considered to be one of the finest examples of a novella, The Death of Ivan Ilyich tells the story of a high-court judge in 19th-century Russia and his sufferings and death from a terminal illness.

12 editions

reviewed The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

The fascination of the mundane - but with rather flat prose

3 stars

I'd been wanting to dive into some Russian classics for a while, and Google told me this one was the most accessible so there it is.

Found a cheap used copy from a little independent store, result!

Unfortunately, and I wonder if it was maybe due to the translator, I found the prose a little flat, lacking much depth or character.

I did like the story, there's something quite fascinating about a tale of the fantastically mundane.

I did also like how it ended but of course I won't say any spoilers here.

So... I didn't love this book.

I liked it but I didn't love it.

It is short and accessible so if you're like me and just wanting to experience some Tolstoy in a few hours, it's a good choice.