Anna K (Anna K, 1) Paperback – March 23, 2021

I purchased both volumes after reading a glowing review of this updated story

It was more entertaining than I thought it would be. Lots of drama. May be good for young adults

I honestly am not sure how I feel about this book. It took me forever to read. There was something about the writing that didn’t suck me in like other books do. It’s in third person but jumps from being in the present to past stories and at times feels like it’s in first person but it’s not. Just made me feel removed from the story sometimes. It took me awhile to connect with the characters. There are things about all of them that aren’t likable, which is incredibly normal of course. It just made me feel unsure of who to root for. The book is filled with a lot of sadness but also some good lessons learned. After all, they are just teenagers navigating some big life changes. Clearly I was still invested enough to want to see how it would end. I see there’s another book after this one… I may be curious enough to read it despite my meh feeling on this one.

I was so excited to finally read this book! You do not have to read the original "Anna Karenina" to fall in love with this book and these characters. I've never read it and I was hooked from the beginning. It is a page turner so prepare to not want to put it down! It left me wanting more and I was so happy to read that there's more books and a TV series in the works! This is going to be the next big thing!

When I saw the title Anna K I instantly knew this was a retelling of Anna Karenina. I have read Anna Karenina only once in my life, in college for my Russian Lit class. Why I took that class, I do not know. I think it was the only exciting literature class that sparked an interest in me. I also knew the teacher and knew if I had to, could skate by. He always graded on a curve. When I read Anna Karenina, I was not as in love with it as I would have liked. To be honest, I think it bored me. Then the film came out starring Kiera Knightly and I saw what I was missing in the novel. However, I did not pick the novel back up to re-read it.However, I can say, as far as retellings go, Anna K blew me away.A Compelling Contemporary RetellingThere were so many parts of this novel that reminded me of the Gossip Girl novels. This wave of nostalgia that hit me gave me goosebumps in a good way. Connecting me to those memories only made me love the novel even more.However, what stands out about the novel is the characters. It is so easy to visualize these characters as they embark on their adolescent journey into love. That is probably the reason why I love this retelling more than the original because it is so easy to believe young kids are screwing up and figuring out their love lives rather than adults. There is such a preconception that lingers in our minds that makes us think that adults have it all figured out even when we know they do not. Even here, the adults do not have everything figured out, and that is the charm of the novel.Anna thought she had everything figured out, her whole future laid out before her, a dotting boyfriend, the pride of Greenwich, but she forgot to live. That was brilliant, and part of the compelling nature of the novel.By going back and forth between these characters, the novel intertwines their lives together, giving the novel a good pace and strong character dynamics. These may be high society kids, but the reader can connect to them because they are as lost as every other teenager out there. These kids are dealing with the hardships of school, the control of social media, and the addiction and longing that is love. Everyone, no matter the age, can connect with these characters because they are real, they come to life in such a brilliant way, developing and growing as they experience life.Final ThoughtsAnna K was a brilliant contemporary retelling. It has such a range of characters but never loses the reader. It is cohesive in its fluidity, moving from one character to another is such a smooth motion. Jenny Lee did such a good job making sure the novel flowed, ensuring that the pacing of the novel remained steady so that she did not lose her point of view.A true love story, Anna K lingers and connects to the reader long after they finish.

I loved this book! Lee's prose is so breezy and her characters jump off the page. Their chaos, their growth, their turmoil, their quests for love suck you in and take you on a fantastic ride!

This is YA Crazy Rich Asians meets YA Sex in the City all re-imagined in an Anna Karenina framework. The decadence is over the top from page one. But, the entire cast of characters are just so well-developed and what rich story lines. Anna K. is definitely the focus, but I was equally drawn into the other story lines. Definitely looking forward to her next book!