ANNA KARENINA

A lot had to be left out when this 800-page novel was converted to a nearly four-hour dramatization, but there is much to please Tolstoy fans. A great deal of Tolstoy's description is converted to sounds that skillfully set the stage (the sound of the train, songs, laughter) while other elements must be implied in the delivery, or converted from thoughts to dialogue. The result is much less dense than Tolstoy's classic novel, but also much livelier. Attention is focused on the emotional interplay among the characters while the novel's political themes receive relatively little time. The actors in the production are strong, and their voices are distinct from one another, allowing listeners to follow the action easily. G.T.B. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 07]