Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy is a novel, first published in 1878. This one is considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever written.

This is a complex novel structured in eight parts, with more than a dozen major characters, Anna Karenina is spread over more than 750 pages.

It deals with themes of betrayal, faith, family, marriage, Russian imperial society, desire, and life in the country and in the city. The story centers on an extramarital affair between Anna and the dashing cavalry officer Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky, which causes a scandal in St. Petersburg social circles and forces the young lovers to flee to Italy in search of happiness, but upon their return to Russia their lives continue to fall apart.

The novel frequently references trains, with several pivotal plot scenes occurring on passenger trains or at stations in Saint Petersburg or other parts of Russia. The liberal reforms started by Russian Emperor Alexander II and the swift societal changes that ensued serve as the backdrop for the narrative. The book has been adapted for use in a variety of media, including radio drama, ballet, opera, film, and television.