025 - Chapter 25

War and Peace (Russian Война и мир, Voyna i mir) is a monumental epic by Leo Tolstoy, first serialized between 1865 and 1869 in Russki Vestnik. This literary masterpiece intricately weaves the lives of various characters against the backdrop of Russian society during the tumultuous Napoleonic Era. Renowned as one of Tolstoys two greatest works (the other being Anna Karenina), it delves into profound themes of war, peace, youth, aging, and the complexities of marriage. While often labeled as a novel today, it defied the conventions of its time, leaving many contemporary critics questioning its classification. Tolstoy himself viewed Anna Karenina as his first true foray into the European novel form. (Summary by Wikipedia)