Don't hesitate to read this fine work. Tolstoy writes with authority and deep sympathy. There are many great character portraits and even less prominent characters are brought vividly to life. These people belong to a time remote from ours and yet their concerns and fears, their joys and sorrows are very much our own. Following these individual fates against the epic backdrop of war and its cruelties is a compelling and memorable journey for any reader to follow.
