What classic most surprised me? The Classics Club meme reboot

“What classic has most surprised you so far, and why?”

Rather than naming a single classic that most surprised me, I’ll say my biggest surprise so far has been the Russian authors collectively.

Dostoevsky was the first Russian author I read:  The Brothers Karamazov followed closely by Tolstoy:  Anna Karenina.

I was intimidated by the Russian authors, and didn’t know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by both. They were both easy to read and quite captivating. The only challenge was getting used to the numerous name variations that could apply to a single character.

If I had to pick one of these, and I probably better as The Classics Club moderators can be pretty demanding, I’d go with the Bros. K because I had less idea of the plot. I knew Anna K was a tragic romance. By the way, it’s MUCH more than that.

And it just happens, that I’ll be getting my second dose of both authors shortly. I have War and Peace and Crime and Punishment coming up a bit later this year.

Honorable mention to Dune by Frank Herbert – the gold standard in Sci-Fi. One-Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez – because I had no idea what to expect. It was unusual and captivating, and one of the best opening lines ever. Beloved by Toni Morrison – the travesty of slavery told in unique way.