Thursday, February 28, 2013

Anna Karenina

My battle with the book Anna Karenina is still waging. I read the first half of the book over the summer and absolutely loved it! Then, in the fall I moved to a new city. Between moving and searching for a new job, Anna Karenina was put on hold. The hold was only supposed to be temporary, but not so much. I lost my momentum. But I decided to steal an idea from a friend who runs this amazing book club.

In her book club, they pick an extraordinarily difficult book and break it up over an entire year. They meet each month to discuss the assigned section. I thought to myself, I can do that with the second half of Anna Karenina! I'll break it up into six sections and read a section each month for the next six months. And when I'm all finished, I'll reward myself with Joe Wright's new film version of Anna Karenina.

However, I do work at a public library, and I catalog all new materials for said public library. So when the new Anna Karenina DVD crossed over my desk, the temptation was too great to resist. I ended up taking it home the same day I cataloged it. Reward? Ha! Oh, well. I suppose it will be reward enough to know I've finished the book, whenever that may be.

But I do recommend reading the book, and I recommend Joe Wright's new film, as well. Being a fan of his for several years, I'm glad to say he's done it again! Much of the film is set on a stage which reminded me a lot of the 2003 movie Dogville, starring Nicole Kidman and Paul Bettany, but Joe Wright took things a step further. The story weaves on and off stage, in and out of doors, and as in all Joe Wright films, the camera work is extraordinary!

Everything from the cinematography to the costumes to the music is just beautiful in this adaptation. I applaud Joe Wright for bringing this book to life in a very unique and surreal way. Whether you're a fan of the book or you've never heard of it, I'd still recommend this film. It's a magical experience. And it may inspire you to have a go at the book. (If you start now, you might even finish it before I do!)

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