61 pages • 2 hours read
Boris PasternakDoctor Zhivago
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1957A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak follows Yuri Zhivago as he navigates love and loss amidst the Russian Revolution and Civil War, encountering various relationships and political challenges, while ultimately facing questions of personal and political loyalty. The novel explores themes of war, revolution, love, and the passage of time, and includes references to torture, gun violence, and death by suicide.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago receives praise for its poetic language, emotional depth, and historical scope, capturing the tumult of the Russian Revolution. However, critiques often mention its convoluted plot and dense prose as challenging. Overall, it's celebrated as a profound yet demanding read that richly rewards patient readers.
Who Should Read Doctor Zhivago?
A reader who enjoys Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak is likely drawn to sweeping historical epics with deep emotional and philosophical undercurrents. Fans of works like War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy or The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov will appreciate its intricate character development, complex narrative, and rich depiction of early 20th-century Russia.