From an inexperienced reviewer
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I first read War and Peace in my teens and thoroughly enjoyed my first taste of Russian literature. My daughter bought me this version after hearing me praise this book whilst discussing favourite books. Having convinced my daughter that this was a truly outstanding book, she decided to read the Briggs translation and then went on to read this translation. We both agreed that this translation is the best translation that we have read to date. I wouldn't presume to provide a critical review but I will say that if you have never read Tolstoy, this is the translation that will draw you in and hook you on Russian literature!
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Excellent to read, but some curiosities
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It seems presumptuous to write anything about War and Peace. The writing of such a book towers over the formidable task of translating it; and both of these dwarf the not inconsiderable undertaking of reading it.
But the forbidding size of the book contrasts with the intimacy of Tolstoy's writing - right from the start we are drawn in to the conversation of the salon, rather than a sweep of great events, the book being ultimately about people. I had concerns about being able to remember who was who, my concerns not being relieved by the translators' brief introduction to the nature of Russian names; but the list of principal characters is clear, and an easy and in my case well-used reference. Perhaps I was helped by the memory of the excellent BBC radio dramatisation of the early 1970s, now apparently lost. The maps of the battlefields are useful; a map of the larger European area would have helped too, to give some idea of the distances involved.
I was drawn to read this translation by Simon Schama's enthusiastic praise on BBC Radio 4; I would endorse it, almost completely. The prose is clear, if a little stilted at times; but for a portrayal of people speaking in a different country two hundred years ago I would not expect the same kind of speech that I use now. Characters retain their own voices, even the annoying Denisov; Tolstoy is given a clearly recognisable voice, addressing the reader directly.
My only proviso is that with such a huge linguistic undertaking, a few lexical disasters stand out, perhaps so noticeable because they are so few. It is odd that having constructed such a complex and extensive translation coherently and consistently, the publishers' editorial proofreading manages to leave me feeling that I have been reading the work of someone for whom English is a learnt rather than a lived language.
The most startling of these sore thumbs is the description of Helene as "totally undressed" in her box at the opera. Others include "fill the bill", "homey", and "dearie" for a huntsman addressing his dog. These do not spoil the book; rather they leave it unfinished. Or maybe the translators suffered from the same problem as Natasha Rostov and Napoleon Bonaparte; the pull to do the wrong thing at a critical moment was just too strong.
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Tolstoy - A World of His Own
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To read a book written by Leo Tolstoy is a "through the looking glass experience". You step back in time and are enveloped in the cold chill of a Russian winter with real characters drawn by an artistic master.
I have the American edition of this latest War And Peace (Pevear and Volokhonsky)and I must say the English edition (which I shall soon purchase) is beautiful edition, a joy to have,no doubt.
The generous use of French has stretched my schoolgirl education to the enth degree and short of buying a French Dictionary...does anyone know if there is a translation of the French included somewhere in the book that I've missed ?
Beyond that and the obvious weight of this tomb, we are priveleged to have one of the greatest books ever written in our possession - so enjoy it,one and all.
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Enthralling
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Having not read War and Peace before, and being fluent in neither Russian nor French, I am not qualified to compare and contrast this translation with other translations. But coming to this great novel for the first time I found this version to be an immensely readable book and it was with great sadness that I finished it. While others might concentrate on the pros and cons of this version against others, for those who have never read War and Peace before it is the story itself that is so fantastic. I was completely transported to Napoleonic times.
One comment on the translation itself though - in many places I found it mellifluous. 'Kapli kapali. Shyol tikhii govor. Loshadi zarzhali i podralis. Khrapel kto-to.' - 'Drops dripped. Quiet talk went on. Horses neighed and scuffed. Someone snored.' Fantastic.
And as others have noted the hardback is a wonderfully tactile object. Well done Clays and thank you Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.
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A Wonderful Translation in a Pleasing Binding
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This is the third translation I have read - the Rosemary Edmonds and the Briggs translations being the previous two - and it is clearly the best. You are captured from the start by the crystalline clarity of the prose and Pevear's annotations are helpful and inobtrusive. Ignore Doctor Rollo!
I would also make similar point to the previous reviewer - the hardback book is a lovely object to look at and hold. If you're going to have something in your hands for a couple of months, better to make it something that is good looking!
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