Any fan of stories that involve juicy subjects like adultery, gambling, marriage

plots, and, well, Russian feudalism, would instantly place Anna Karenina at the
peak of their “greatest novels” list. And that’s exactly the ranking that
publications like Time magazine have given the novel since it was published in its
entirety in 1878. Written by Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, the eight-part towering
work of fiction tells the story of two major characters: a tragic, disenchanted
housewife, the titular Anna, who runs off with her young lover, and a lovestruck
landowner named Konstantin Levin, who struggles in faith and philosophy. Tolstoy
molds together thoughtful discussions on love, pain, and family in Russian society
with a sizable cast of characters regarded for their realistic humanity. The novel
was especially revolutionary in its treatment of women, depicting prejudices and
social hardships of the time with vivid emotion.