Anna Karenina is a novel by Leo Tolstoy, first published in serial installments from 1873 to 1877 in the periodical The Russian Messenger. It is one of the most acclaimed works of fiction ever written, and is considered a pinnacle of realist fiction. The novel tells the story of Anna Karenina, a married aristocrat and socialite, and her affair with the affluent Count Vronsky. The story starts when she arrives in the midst of a family broken up by her brother's unbridled womanizing—something that prefigures her own later situation. Although Vronsky and Anna go to great lengths to keep their affair secret, it soon becomes the talk of the town. The novel explores the themes of betrayal, faith, family, marriage, society, and passion. The novel is divided into eight parts, with each part divided into several chapters. The novel is set in Imperial Russia and follows the lives of the aristocratic Karenina family and their friends and relations. The novel focuses on the consequences of Anna's affair with Vronsky on her marriage, social standing, and psychological state, and contrasts this with the happiness of Levin, who seeks spiritual fulfillment through his love for Kitty.
By Leo Tolstoy · First published 1877 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Drama · 60 chapters