Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Key Details
- Genre: fiction
- Sub-Genres: classic, romance
- Tropes: forbidden romance, love triangle, star-crossed lovers
- Publication Date: 1878
- Pages: 864
- Themes: love, family, social expectations, personal fulfillment
- Accolades: The edition selected by Oprah’s Book Club won the PEN/Book of the Month Translation Prize
My Review
Widely regarded as Rory Gilmore’s favorite book, Anna Karenina is long and hard but worth it. Its literary devices, intense family drama, and tragic love story ultimately raise the stakes for the classic reader and make it unforgettable.
Gilmore Girls Episodes
Learn where this book on the Gilmore Girls book list was referenced:
| Season 1, Episode2 (“The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton”) | Referenced at Chilton |
| Season 1, Episode 16 (“Star-Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers”) | Dean reads Anna Karenina and calls it depressing. Rory calls it beautiful and one of her favorite books. |
| Season 2, Episode 5 (“Nick & Nora/Sid & Nancy”) | On Max Medina’s desk |
| Season 2, Episode 15 (“Lost and Found”) | Rory buys it at the book sale. |
| Season 3, Episode 22 (“Those Are Strings, Pinocchio”) | In Rory’s Chilton speech, she says she “rode a sad train with Anna Karenina.” |
| Season 4, Episode 12 (“A Family Matter”) | Luke misquotes the famous opening line. |
| A Year in the Life: Summer | Rory reads Anna Karenina on a pool chair. |
Famous Opening Line
“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
Book Review
Plot Description
Anna Karenina, a socialite married to St. Petersburg statesman Alexei Karenin in 19th-century Russia, falls in love with Count Vronsky, sparking a passionate affair that threatens her social standing.
The secondary plot follows Konstantin Levin, through whom the reader learns a great deal about Russian culture, particularly farming. He seeks to marry Kitty, Anna’s distant relative.
Why It Matters on Gilmore Girls
The tension in Anna Karenina between personal happiness and societal norms also appears in the books on Gilmore Girls Season One and beyond.
Additionally, Dean calls Anna Karenina “depressing,” and Rory calls it “beautiful.” This clash over a book so important to Rory foreshadows the ill fate of their relationship and their questionable actions after Dean marries.
Who It’s Best For
Anna Karenina is a lengthy, challenging classic that works best for readers who want to read like Rory Gilmore and for fans of classics rich in language, symbolism, themes, and historical context.
Reading Tips
- Use an Anna Karenina reading guide, and read it slowly. Mine particularly helped me understand how Russian history intersected with the plot.
- Watch an adaptation. The “Keira Knightley version” was very good.
- Or, read a modern retelling. I read and recommend Anna K by Jenny Lee, which has Gossip Girl vibes.
Aesthetic
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Rory calls Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy a “beautiful” book and also refers to it in her Chilton speech by saying she “rode a sad train with Anna Karenina.” She’s also spotted reading it on a pool chair in the Netflix reboot, A Year in the Life.
Rory’s favorite book in Gilmore Girls is widely considered to be Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. She calls it “beautiful” and famously refers to it in her valedictorian speech.
In S4 Ep12 (“A Family Matter”), Luke says, “I mean, didn’t that Tolstoy guy say something about families?” He is referring to the famous opening line of Anna Karenina: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
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