What Happened to Anna K.: A Novel Audiobook

" An interesting book- liked it- not the best "

" Didn't love it. It was very difficult to relate to or have any sympathy for the main character, Anna K. And those that have read Anna Karenina, the Tolstoy novel that inspired this book, you know how it ends! "

" The best thing about this book is that it makes me want to re-read Anna Karenina. The insights on aging and the immigrant experience make this book worth reading. "

" This retelling of Anna Karenina among the Russian immigrant community in contemporary NYC didn't really grab me. The Russian immigrant community seemed very shallow, and Anna K didn't manage to rise above it. It did incline me to re-read Anna Karenina. "

" A modern reworking of Anna Karenina, taking place in the Bukharian Jewish community in Queens. An interesting idea and a good execution. I thought Irina Reyn accurately portrayed the immigrant experience and made me connect to her characters. I'm not sure whether actual comparisons to Tolstoy's original are appropriate here as the two books are vastly different in scope, time and place. Both have their special merits. "

" This book seemed trite and shallow to me. It reminded me of an exercise on the part of the author. The exercise was to try to write an updated version of the Anna Karenina story. It was wooden and uninteresting. It did follow the story of Anna Karenina, and it was somewhat interesting to piece back together that older story and see how it was updated to the modern world. But that was IT. It had none of the depth of the original book. I could barely finish it. "

" I think you had to have read Anna Karenina to make this a good book and I haven't. To me, the book was like one long extended nightmare. However, the writing in the book is superb. "

" Having not read its namesake, I really liked this book - Reyn has very smart things to say about modern women, and our sad comparison to less modern women... "

" Liked it because it reminded me of Anna Karenina and Irina Reyn did a good job at modernizing the story and moving it to a different environment. "

" Became frustrated with the characters in this book. Let it go after approx. 150 pages. Did not care about characters. "

" Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for fiction. I just didn't care about the characters at all. "

" Not my favorite. Never read Anna Karenna... "

" Not the best written book ever but an interesting read transplanting Anna Karenina into Russian Jewish immigrant circles in Queens and its environs. "

" Decent enough book. The main character isn't terribly likeable. Interesting tidbits about the Russian-American culture. Led to a good bookclub discussion. The best part of the book is comparing it to the original and speculating about the author's intent. "

" Really did not care what happened to this Anna K. Would not bother reading. "

" The original Anna was truly a tragic figure -- this one is not. "

" What I learned from this book: the original Anna Karenina is very Russian and very depressing. the remade Anna Karenina is obsessed with youth, very confused about her Russian-American status, and a train wreck. Not a lot of redeeming qualities here. "

" A modern version of Anna Karenina that is set in New York City... A quick and entertaining read that examines Russian-American family expectations and relationships. Interesting plot twists and the ending was certainly a surprise - maybe I will read the original novel... "

" I think this book would have been a lot more meaningful if I'd actually read Anna Karenina already. But as it was, it was a very interesting story, well written and entertaining. And it made me want to read the original even more than I wanted to before! "

" modern day Anna Karenina. Read it in a day (much shorter and easier to understand, ayo!) "

" Modern version of Anna Karenina. Russian immigrant girl has a downward spiral. "

" Nice idea, but the characters were rather poorly developed and the book seemed to drag on, despite being short. Perhaps I had high expectations after reading the real Anna Karenina... "

" Anna Karennena put into today's Queens neighborhoods of Russian immigrants. Excellent! "

" An interesting to idea to retell the story in a contemporary New York setting. Knowing the original makes the tragic tale unfold predictably, yet the new takes on familiar characters were very well done. It was different to listen to this on CD, with all of the appropriate accents. "

" Modern day Anna Karenina in Brooklyn? "

" A modern take on an old theme. "

" Unusual.......and a spin off of Tolystoy's famous book.....Anna Karenina. Definitely a good change of pace from my others. "

" This retelling of Anna Karenina among the Russian immigrant community in contemporary NYC didn't really grab me. The Russian immigrant community seemed very shallow, and Anna K didn't manage to rise above it. It did incline me to re-read Anna Karenina. "

" Interesting take on Anna Karenina. I found it good reading, and the characters authentic. Just not a great book. "

" I read this book right after reading Anna Karenina, and it just couldn't compare. I might have enjoyed it more if I hadn't read it so close to Tolstoy's masterpiece. Then again, may be not. "

" I fondly remember reading Tolstoy's Anna Karina years ago & found this story of Russian Jewish immigrants in NYC a neat parody of the original. "

" Interesting modern adaptation of Tolstoy's classic. The Russian soul behind the story tends to get a bit overly dramatic and self-conscious at times, but that probably goes with the territory. "

" Ok. I admit it. I've never read Anna Karenina. But I thought this modern retelling might be interesting. It mostly wasn't, although I enjoyed the details about the russian immigrants' lives. Otherwise, it was a rather humdrum little tragedy with an unlikeable heroine. "

" This was well written - she really gives you a clear, unflinching view of the anguish people experience when they marry for the wrong reasons or when their expectations meet reality. While there are some positive elements, overall not a happy read, I have to say. "

" – A modern version of Ann Karenina, same tragic ending – tells of the Russian immigrant experience. I really enjoyed this book - well written and an easy read. "

" Modern version of Anna Karenina. Russian immigrant girl has a downward spiral. "