The Mirror of Life
Realism was a revolution. It declared that the life of a peasant or a clerk was just as worthy of art as the life of a king. These novels hold a mirror up to society, refusing to look away from the uncomfortable truths of poverty, adultery, and failure.
But Realism is not just about grit; it is about empathy. By showing us the world in all its detail, these authors force us to recognize the humanity in everyone we meet. They teach us to pay attention to the quiet dramas that play out in living rooms and streets every single day.
Anna Karenina
by Leo Tolstoy
The greatest novel ever written about the human heart. A panoramic exploration of marriage, society, and the destructive power of desire set against the backdrop of Imperial Russia. The novel weaves together two major plotlines: the tragic, passionate affair of the married Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky, and the spiritual awakening of the socially awkward landowner Levin. While Anna's story is a downward spiral of jealousy, isolation, and eventual suicide, Levin's story is an upward climb toward family, faith, and meaning. Tolstoy uses these parallel lives to explore the different ways we seek happiness. The novel is famous for its psychological realism; every character, no matter how minor, feels fully realized and alive.