Ermmmm – what was that I was saying about the Maudes’ version? 😦
Lovely as it is, I hit a major snag fairly early on with the Everyman volume of “War and Peace”, despite finding the book readable and easy to handle… Unfortunately, the Maudes render Prince Andrei as Prince Andrew, and that’s going to be a deal-breaker.
Maudes version with Andrew and Pierre….
Pierre is left as Pierre and not Peter, and as OH commented when I mentioned this problem to him, it sounds like the Prince belongs in Scotland and not Russia. And then I discovered that Kirill is rendered as Cyril… No. I want my Russian characters to sounds as if they *are* Russian. So I switched to the Edmonds version, as she has the Prince as Andrei, and once I settled down again, the reading has gone swimmingly!
The Edmonds version character list
So, putting these irritations aside, how have I got on with my first week of reading “War and Peace”? Quite well, actually. I’ve found the reading easy and very enjoyable, and boy am I impressed again with Tolstoy’s storytelling abilities. He plunges straight into the action, right into Russian society of the era, and in the first part we get introduced to what I believe are most of the main players. Instantly, we learn about the kind of behind the scenes machinations that go on, favours being called in to get your son into the right regiment, or your idiot son married off. The war against Napoleon is on everyone’s lips and Andrei (as we shall correctly call him) is heading off to fight, mostly it seems to get away from his young and light-headed pregnant wife. Pierre, our other main character, comes into money and title through to even more machinations on his behalf. And Natasha is still a young girl.
I love the way Tolstoy moves the action on, with the result of the actions in one chapter being revealed almost in passing by a character in the next. And all of the players are leaping off the page, wonderfully realised, so that’s a plus.
I think these posts are not so much going to be a review as such (how can you encapsulate such a massive work in some blog posts, after all?); but I shall probably be more using them to record my reactions as I read. What’s clear is that Tolstoy is very good at observing the small details in life, using his snapshots of relationships to build up a bigger picture. He captures the interplay between characters brilliantly and is not afraid to build up to a dramatic climax, such as the one which occurs at the end of the first part of the book.
So I’m about 100-odd pages in, and so far loving “War and Peace” – let’s hope all continues this well!
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Jul 10, 2017 @ 07:36:15
I have the Maude version as well. I didn’t even know the Andrew/Andrei controversy. So weird. Why change Andrei, a Russian name, to Andrew, an English name?
But it’s surprisingly readable, is it not? I was surprised. Glad you’re keeping on with the reading! I’m curious as to how many of us will bail before this is all said and done.
Jul 10, 2017 @ 09:21:02
I think if you have a later Maudes it may well have been restored to Andrei, but I haven’t so I’ve stuck with the Edmonds – which is reading very nicely too. And yes, it is amazingly readable!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 07:59:22
I read the Edmonds & got on well with it. Glad you’re enjoying it – I look forward to your progress updates 🙂
Jul 10, 2017 @ 09:17:17
I’m actually enjoying it very much, and finding it surprisingly easy reading!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 08:51:17
Prince Andrew? Good heavens! At least they didn’t go for Peter and Natalie though…
Jul 10, 2017 @ 09:15:22
:))) No, that would have been too much! It’s a shame, because I was liking the Maudes very much, but I just couldn’t handle the Anglicisation!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 10:00:49
I had the same problem with the Maudes’ Anna Karenina, so I chose a different translation when I read War and Peace. I discovered later that the anglicisation has been removed in newer editions, but I didn’t know that at the time and had already been put off reading anything else by the Maudes. Anyway, I’m glad you’re enjoying the book so far!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 13:50:16
I read the Maudes’ AK, but I didn’t notice the same issue. I did look at the later issue, with the spelling sorted out, but I think they’d put the French back in! Never mind – I’m loving this version!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 10:45:43
Your feelings are so like mine. I had exactly the same issue with the Maudes, so I switched to the Anthony Briggs translation after a few chapters and am getting along with it very well.
Jul 10, 2017 @ 13:49:29
Glad it wasn’t just me being pernickety! But I’m getting along swimmingly with Edmonds, and it’s very readable isn’t it?
Jul 10, 2017 @ 14:40:55
I am also reading the Briggs translation and enjoying it. And, thanks Kaggy for posting your thoughts. I enjoy your blog and it will be fun reading this book with others!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 15:43:57
Thank you! It certainly is enjoyable reading along with people – I hope I can stick to t!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 14:59:06
Pernickety ? I would have thrown the book out of the window ! This is totally ridiculous, outrageous, undignified !
Jul 10, 2017 @ 15:43:30
It is! And very un-Russian!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 17:38:35
I think using a read-along to record your impressions and reactions is perfect. To me, there is no point in doing a traditional review of a book like W&P – it’s obviously a classic, it’s in the canon, no one needs me to tell them it’s worthwhile… so, I go about finding GIFs and pop culture connections 🙂
I totally agree about Andrew. Ugh! I started out read Maude too, but in my Maude translation he is Andrei. That’s weird. Anyway, I’ve switched to P&V, not because of anything in particular, I’m just enjoying it more.
“the result of the actions in one chapter being revealed almost in passing by a character in the next.” Yes! That’s what I love about it too. The smallest offhand comment reveals so much.
Jul 10, 2017 @ 19:35:59
Quite agree – I’m not going to write a thesis, just a kind of diary of my reading of the book! 🙂 I think the later revised Maude version had Andrei but I couldn’t cope with the French so I’m sticking to the Edmonds which I’m loving. And yes – Tolstoy is *such* a clever writer!!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 17:52:15
I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying the reading experience too, and that you’ve found a translation that works for you now. 🙂
That’s very strange about them Anglicising the names – if there’s anywhere I would expect the original Russian names to be kept, it would be in War and Peace!
I’m not doing a traditional review either – as Laura said above, there’s been so much written on it already that it seems like it’s not like you’re able to write a particularly novel review anyway. I’m going with the casual and gif-laden “review” format, which means that I can add things in bullet points as the week progresses.
Jul 10, 2017 @ 19:34:35
Yes, most odd, although it *is* a very old translation and perhaps it was tailored for the audience then. But I’m happy now with the translation I’ve picked and I shall just record my impressions as I go!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 18:02:40
I too decided on the P&V translation. I do like a bit of French, but have to catch up on my reading this week.
Jul 10, 2017 @ 19:33:17
Good luck! I came across a copy of the P/V translation in a charity shop this weekend and had a look at some parts randomly, but it jarred so badly that I put it back on the shelf. Fortunately the Edmonds is working nicely for me!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 20:16:44
Yay – doing well. I wouldn’t be able to do with Andrew and Cyril, I’ve never even thought of the name Kirill as being Cyril!!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 20:34:54
No, it’s just too silly – I want the Russian names!
Jul 10, 2017 @ 21:50:26
Well Andrei really shouldn’t be Andrew I agree. I do remember how I got sucked into the story instantly. It sounds like you’re going to love reading this.
Jul 10, 2017 @ 21:58:09
I think I am – it’s certainly grabbed me so far!!
Jul 11, 2017 @ 13:12:22
You’re spot on about Tolstoy’s attention to detail, the scenes and characters seem to explode off the page into life. Hope you get on with this translation better than the last one!
Jul 11, 2017 @ 13:18:57
It’s going pretty well so far – just loving Tolstoy’s brilliance at capturing people and situations!
Jul 11, 2017 @ 22:11:17
What a stupid decision that was to westernise some names and not others. It would irritate me so much that I couldn’t continue reading – if they make those kinds of errors, what does that say for the quality of the translation overall??
Jul 12, 2017 @ 09:26:15
Very silly decision, though as the Maudes’ translation is very old (contemporary with Tolstoy) and so perhaps it reflects English speaking readers’ views at the time. The rest of the translation reads very nicely, but the Edmonds is working very well for me so I’ll stick with that!
Jul 12, 2017 @ 18:21:43
Glad you were able to find a better option so quickly
Jul 12, 2017 @ 19:25:45
Yes, luckily it seems to be working well so far.
Jul 25, 2017 @ 00:04:17
Oh, I love the Maude! Theirs was the translation Tolstoy approved. But I think they anglicized because Russian novels weren’t popular at the time. Theirs was not the first, though.
But I must say I also adore Rosemary Edmonds, so you can’t lose.
Jul 25, 2017 @ 09:44:35
Yes, I’m sure it was for the convenience of English readers at the time, and if it hadn’t been for that I most probably would have stuck with the Maudes because I was enjoying it. But I couldn’t deal with Andrew, and fortunately the Edmonds is excellent too!
Aug 09, 2017 @ 10:06:22
I remember reading Jane Austen’s novels in one of the Serbian translations, back in my teens. British people seemed to be Slavic: Elizabeth was Jelisaveta, George was Đorđe, Mary was, of course, Marija, and so on… Hilarious!
Aug 09, 2017 @ 10:18:01
It’s a tricky one, but I prefer the original names to be kept (and, for example, I want Maigret’s wife to be Madame and not Mrs). If I was reading English translated into another language I think I’d prefer them to stay as the originals!
Aug 09, 2017 @ 10:26:52
I agree wholeheartedly!