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Hefty Reads

Retirement Reflections

Last month, I focused on quick reads. This month, it’s the exact opposite, at least for the first two books on my pile. While the other books featured here are average in length, they are (with only one exception) also rich in language, characterization and enjoyment.
Have you read anything from this list? I’d love to hear your thoughts and to discover what you’ve been reading.

5 Stars
800+ pages
I recently spent six weeks with Anna Karenina giving me much to process. Weighing in at 340,000 words (35.5 hours of audio), this is a weighty read. Don’t be fooled into believing it to be a romantic love story.
Instead, Tolstoy takes us on a deep dive into the complexities of human emotion, examining the delicate threads of relationships, the fallout of our choices, and life’s inherent fragility.

Focussed on the Russian aristocracy of the 1870s, it is remarkable how much of this story feels relevant across time and cultures. The characters continually shift and evolve (or unravel) in ways that make the reader reconsider them throughout the novel. Steadily, Tolstoy reminds us how we often miss what is right before our eyes.
If this book has been collecting dust on your shelf, don’t let its length or status stop you from picking it up. Take your time with it and enjoy the journey. The writing, even in translation, is simply beautiful.
Thank you to Sue from our Classics Book Club for recommending this masterpiece that is frequently listed as one of the “greatest pieces of literature ever written.” 
*The translation that I read from was by Constance Garnett, free on Project Guttenberg.

4 Stars
748 pages
Winter’s Tale was my local book club’s pick for this month. When it was first suggested, its genre labels of ‘fantasy,’ ‘magical realism,’ and ‘steampunk’ made me hesitant. However, as soon as I began reading, Helprin’s mesmerizing language and characterizations swept me away—at least initially.
Somewhere along the way, though, my reading experience took a turn, which is likely on me.

Coming straight from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina (another sprawling, intricately written novel that demands close attention), I approached Winter’s Tale with a sense of urgency. I wasn’t skipping passages, but I was definitely focused on the finish line. This was not the way to approach this book. Helprin’s meticulous detail—even in his treatment of minor characters—left me wondering: Did anyone think to edit this? At times, it felt overwhelming.
Now that I’ve finished reading and had time to reflect, my advice is to approach Winter’s Tale with patience. Take the time to appreciate Helprin’s lush prose and let his world unfold at its own pace. When read this way, Winter’s Tale can offer profound reflections on time, justice, love, mortality, and the magic of connection. I believe this is a novel to lose yourself in—but it demands that you are willing to suspend both judgement and timeframe.

3 Stars
448 pages
I ordered a copy of Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan, hoping for a light, entertaining read to balance the more demanding reads above. Sadly, it fell short of my expectations.
Despite the captivating start, the story quickly became bogged down by an overload of characters and subplots that made the narrative feel cluttered. The constant name-dropping became tiresome, and the ‘ultimate big twist’ was unfortunately predictable early on.

Several characters felt more like caricatures, making them hard to connect with. In addition, I went with the first copy I could get from my local library, which was an audiobook. Sadly, much of the narration sounded forced and overly dramatic, making the difficult characters even more grating.
By the middle of the book, I was pushing through to reach the final chapter. Although the ending was satisfying, it wasn’t enough to elevate this book beyond three stars

4.5 Stars
400 pages
This was another local book club read. It is a richly layered, character-driven novel that highlights the complexities of everyday life. The story follows Larry Weller, an unassuming florist who becomes a master maze-builder.
Larry’s life, and the novel itself, take numerous twists and turns. Just like a maze, the book ends on familiar ground but with new understanding.

Shields succinctly captures the inner life of her characters. Larry, in particular, has been created with deep sensitivity. Shields’ insight into what it means to be human makes Larry’s Party a highly thought-provoking read.

5 Stars
270 Pages
Mary Eisenhauser’s “Reimagining Midlife” deeply resonated with me. Turning 50, the author became increasingly aware of the ‘bleak narrative’ society often imposes on women as they age. As she and her friends asked, ‘What now?’, they sensed a desire for something different yet questioned if this was even possible. This exploration felt familiar, echoing conversations I have often had with others.

I first picked up this book because one of my friends is featured in it and I know her story to be incredibly motivating. To my delight, Reimaging Midlife was filled with inspirational women who quickly felt like new friends.

With its structure of short, personal interviews, it made for easy, uplifting reading. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone wanting to explore the endless possibilities for women approaching midlife and beyond.

5 Stars
268 pages
Joanne Tracey’s Murder at Deverell Grange brings us back into the world of Philly Barker, an antique dealer with a knack for unearthing secrets, and her friend, recently retired detective Robbie Dawkins.

Invited to a sixteenth-century manor for a weekend, Philly’s role seemed simple at first. But the visit quick took a dark and unexpected turn, filled with twists that kept me guessing until the very end. Each page had me revising my suspicions.
As the third novel in the Philly Barker series, this installment continues to deliver suspense and depth. I was delighted to be an ARC reader. This story was inspired when the author had lunch at the Tan Hill Inn in North Yorkshire two years ago. I love fun facts like this!

What’s been on your bookshelf lately? Sue, Debbie, Jo and I would love for you to join us for this months linkup. We hope to see you there!

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Published by Retirement Reflections

Prior to retirement, I lived and worked in Beijing China for fourteen years (Middle School Principal/Deputy Director at The Western Academy of Beijing). Leaving international life behind, my husband and I retired to Vancouver Island in June 2015. To document both this transition and our new adventures, ‘Retirement Reflections’ was born. I hope that you enjoy reading these reflections, and will be willing to share your own.

85 thoughts on “Hefty Reads”

  2. Hi Donna, I’m not sure I could have tackled another hefty read immediately after Anna Karenina. I adored that book which was a surprise to me. I agree some books we have to read with patience and I’m guilty at times of trying to rush through without taking in the author’s work and nuances. Thanks as always for co-hosting the #WOBYS?. I learn so much from your reviews, my friend. Thanks, Sue xx

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    1. Hi, Barbara – One of my favourite things about books is how reading them is so unique to each of us. Truly, one person’s treasure is another person’s discard. I also love how different books can be for us depending on when we read them. I wonder what you would think of Anna Karenina now? Thank you for joining us for the linkup. It is greatly appreciated.

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      1. I think one’s mood, what else is going on and so on can often play a big part in how we enjoy a book (or not). Right now, I couldn’t pick up anything too serious, so if I do re-read Anna Karenina, it will be at some point in the future (or I could try an audio book…).

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      2. Hi, Barb – I completely agree. There is a saying that no one ever reads the same book (or something like that). I believe that’s true. We all bring our own experiences to everything that we read making each individual book a unique experience for everyone. Seriously, how cool is that?!

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  5. I think I read Anna Karenina many moons ago, but it sounds like I need to revisit it. You’ve got a few other intriguing suggestions here… obviously, Jo’s but also Larry’s Party and, when I’m done with Anna Karenina, maybe I need to tackle Winter’s Tale.

    I added a link to my latest post about an amazing bookstore we recently visited.

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    1. Thanks, Janis – I just came back from reading your post. What a fabulous bookshop. I want to go there!
      I highly recommend Jo’s recent books to you – Christmas at Fountains Hall and her new Philly Book coming out this January. I think that you will really enjoy them.

      I look forward to catching up soon!

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  6. Haven’t read any of these books. I enjoy a character driven book so Shields’ book is appealing. Just finished The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I was reminded of the 1998 movie, Sliding Doors. The choices we make in our lives can move us in different directions with different outcomes. Someone reminded me recently that our purpose is to keep moving forward, which is something Haig’s main character eventually learned to do in spite of her regrets. Now reading Jane Smiley’s Ten Days in the Hills. After 23 pages, I’m not drawn in yet as I was with her A Thousand Acres or Greenlanders.

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    1. Hi, Mona – Awesome to hear form you as always! I absolutely loved Matt Haig’s Midnight Library. It’s one of my favourite reads. It is so true about the choices that we make totally leading us in unexpected directions. I am constantly grateful for the steps and the missteps which lead me to the spot where I am sitting today reading your comment and typing my reply. ❤

      I am currently reading Wintering which is a book that you recommended earlier.

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  7. Hi Donna – so much indepth reading for you this past month – I find very descriptive novels hard going because I’m unable to picture in my head the scenes that they’re trying to create so wordily – I blame my aphantasia for it! I like a fairly fast pace or I find myself skipping ahead. I also wonder if that’s due to how I watch TV shows etc – the fastforward button gets used a lot when I hit the slower bits! Maybe I’m a Gen Z at heart???

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    1. Hi, Leanne – Being a Gen Z at heart doesn’t seem so bad. My understanding is that they are known for being driven by security and pragmatism, valuing conservative spending, stable jobs, and smart investments. Sounds wise to me! 😀

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      1. Russian authors are as much a commitment as a pastime. They’re all long! It was my major in college so I got through most of them and pulled all the threads that connected their themes to the Russian people.

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  10. Anna Karenina sounds interesting, Donna . The cover looks like a book of Romance. If the translation is beautiful, the original language must be exquisite. This is not for a quick read as you mentioned.

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    1. Hi, Miriam – Thank you so much for dropping by and commenting. I always enjoy hearing your point of view and you always add something new for me to think about. That is an interesting point about the translation. Benjamin Mcevoy wrote an excellent post where he gave three different samples of English translations of Anna Karenina. (You can read that here: https://benjaminmcevoy.com/translation-anna-karenina-best-pevear-volokhonsky-vs-constance-garnett-vs-aylmer-louise-maude/)
      Based on that taste test, I did prefer the translation by Constance Garnett. But, according to Mcevoy, all of Garnett’s russian translations sounded the same as opposed to unique to each individual author.

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      1. You’re welcome, Donna. I think a good translator understands the original language, not just the machanics but the subtle expression and its culture to make the translation a good one.

        I’ve read someone’s writing written in some kind of dialet. I had a hard time understanding it. It would be hard to translate it into another language.

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  11. It sure has been a month of hefty reading Donna. I read Anna Karenina when I was young. All I can rarely remember was that it was so so long and a bit of a slog for my young brain. I should revisit. I plan to check out Larry’s Party. My 2025 list is growing too long too quickly.

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  12. I enjoyed dipping in and out of Anna Karenina – & could be tempted to do the same with Winter’s Tale. Thanks for the shout-out for the latest Philly. I got the cover through yesterday so a release date is imminent!

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  14. Holy smokes indeed a heavy duty month. I’ve not read any of those. I’m not against a long read but I don’t read a lot in December so it would have to wait. I’ve read The Stone Diaries and enjoyed it. Ohhhh – can’t wait for the new Philly but more on that in my post.

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  16. I have not read any of these but after hearing everyone’s reviews of Anna Karenina, I feel like that is one book I need to look for.

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      1. Thanks for asking. My break is going well! Doing stuff, not writing about it, gaining a bit perspective on blogging. Distance makes the heart grow fonder!

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      2. Hi, Ally – I am delighted to hear that your break is going well — and to hear your words ‘absence makes the heart grow founder’. Hopefully, you will return to blog again soon. You are already deeply missed.

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  18. I have not read any of these. I tried to read the Tolstoy a few years ago and got bogged down. Now days, though I haven’t figured out why, I have such a terrible attention span it’s hard to read anything. I would like to try again though, the winter is just getting started and that seems like the perfect time to attempt a good read. Maybe not a WEIGHTY read, but a read none the less. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  19. Hi Donna, you’ve been doing some high brow reading. A lovely selection of books and I like the sound of Murder at Deverell Grange and Reimaging Midlife. The others are just so long so I can’t think about them this year.

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  20. I read Anna Karenina for the Nov Mini challenge at 52 book club. I enjoyed the first half of the book but after that it seemed like a boring diary. Until the last quarter of the book, not much happened and all the men just seemed captivated by their own importance…maybe that’s the whole point 😂
    I’ll check out the other books you referenced. Thanks for your thorough reviews!!

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  21. I am very impressed with this months reading. Wow, you should be so proud of yourself. Thank you for the great breakdowns. I wish I had time, maybe I could do an audiobook, I just need to get my mother moved into the assisted living home and my 1500sqft home can’t fit all her things, so I need to rent a dumpster in Naples, FL, and get working on it. My new year’s resolution is to read 1 800 page book a month. I hope it works out!

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    1. Thank you for dropping by, reading and commenting. Good luck with getting your mom moved into her new home. There is time for quality reading and other times when life has different plans for us. Books will always be there. Wishing you and your mom much peace.

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  22. Anna Karenina is one of my all-time favourite reads. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I was also pleased to see that you enjoyed Larry’s Party by Carol Shields. I love everything she wrote. Another superb Canadian writer. You read some wonderful books.

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  23. Hi Donna, Thank you for sharing your hefty reads. I read and enjoyed Tolstoy’s War and Peace and Anna Karenina a long time ago. I haven’t read the other books on your list. I’m currently reading The Bat by Jo Nesbo. After my trip to Norway I wanted to read a book by a Norwegian author and found this book at the library. It’s a detective thriller translated to English by Don Bartlett. I’m about half way through the book, so far so good.

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  24. Hi Donna, your reviews always tell me so much, about you and the book you’ve read! This ability makes your posts very special and I learn so much from you. I’m still persevering with Anna, listening whenever I can but the hours left don’t seem to reduce at all!! I’m enjoying it though for the reasons you have written. Thanks for being such a great co-host for our #WOYBS linkup.

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    1. Hi, Debbie- Thank you as always for your very kind and uplifting words. I liked Anna Karenina and was actually sad when I finished it. I believe that is a story that forever stays with you.
      I hope that all is well for you and you are settled in after your time away. I look forward to catching up soon.

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  27. Hi Donna, I have not read any of these hefty reads, but I feel like I may read Anna K one day. I also have been reading longer books lately. It’s a completely different experience because of how long the story is a part of your life. I think longer books make you think harder about what the author is trying to say. Great post!

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    1. Hi, Barb – I agree that longer books can be a completely different experience than shorter one. The characters really become part of our lives and it is sad when they are gone.
      I look forward to finding out more of what you have been reading lately.

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  28. Before I indicate what I’m reading, keep in mind I did my undergrad. degree in English at Western University.

    I’m reading: “How Muslims Shaped the Americans”. It’s written by an Edmonton journalist-writer who himself is a lapsed Muslim. He goes into major Muslim/historic communities in North America and Caribbean (Trinidad, yup) to understand/inform us the community’s history and heartbeat.

    Seems after doing my degree and MA in library science ages ago, I tend to read primarily non-fiction. I can see from the comments from other regular visitors/bloggers here, that people are novel readers in certain directions.

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      1. After I finished my degrees, my head felt tired of anything ‘literary’. But then I didn’t want to read formulaic stuff. There some major personal things happening in life, I didn’t want the effort of a literary novel, to figure out. So I found / still find non-fiction actually easier to read. At least I could learn about a world that I had no previous connection / no knowledge at all. This book most definitely since I personally don’t know anyone who is Muslim. No work colleague nor friend. Not that we should choose friends based on other factors. It needs to be shared long-standing interests, in strong spirit. Some of my friends are quiet Christian believers. However I did have a long,close friend who was conservative Mennonite in K-W area where we both lived/where I grew up.

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  29. wow!! These are impressive reads. Not sure I could do it. But I do like to go from the heavy book to a lighter read back to a heavier book. I’m talking about subject matter more than weight. My most recent read is The Life Impossible which I adored! Will reread. Also read Frozen River which was fabulous.

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  30. I remember when Oprah was going to read Anna Karenina and I thought I would join her. Ha!! Who was I kidding? I probably didn’t get beyond the first chapter. I am sure it is worth the effort but there are so many other, shorter books I could be reading faster!! My hat is off to you for getting through it and jumping right into Winter’s Tale. Wow!!

    Thank you for sharing Reimagining Midlife. Sounds like an uplifting read. Off to add it to my Goodreads to-read list.

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    1. Hi, Leslie – You are such a talented writer, even your comments are beautifully worded. Anna Karenina is really not as daunting a read as it sounds. And it truly is no longer than many current books we easily read today (Covenant of Water, to name just one).
      I greatly appreciate you reading and commenting both here and on my recent granddaughter FB post. ❤ ❤

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  33. Donna, have you been taking a peak at my bookshelf? 😀😀 Along side, the unread War and Peace I have Anna Karenina. Your wonderful review of it here gives me courage to give this a go! Winters Tale also interests me. Isn’t it strange how we come to a book unexpectedly, as you reading Reimagining Midlife because it featured your friend and then finding it such an inspirational book. I recently finished Lisa See’s amazing Lady Tan’s Circle of Women set in 1500s China and the dramatic and taut go as a river by Shelley Read set in 1940s Colorado and in present time. Riveting. Happy Reading, my friend! Xx

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