The Death of Ivan Ilyich (Bantam Classics)

by Leo Tolstoy

Mass Market Paperback, 128 pages

English language

Published March 1, 1981 by Bantam Classics.

ISBN:: 978-0-553-21035-4

(61 reviews)

Ivan Ilych, a peaceful public official in the Russian provinces, has his life permanently changed by a serious illness which no doctor can accurately diagnose. Hailed as one of the world's supreme masterpieces on the subject of death and dying, The Death of Ivan Ilyich is the story of a worldly careerist, a high court judge who has never given the inevitability of his death so much as a passing thought. But one day death announces itself to him, and to his shocked surprise he is brought face to face with his own mortality. From world-renowned novelist Leo Tolstoy comes this story of a worldly careerist who must consider death for the first time and examine his own mortality. With a superb translation by Lynn Solotaroff, it features an introduction by Ronald Blythe.

147 editions

StorydevGrace reviewed The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

Review of 'The Death of Ivan Ilych' on 'Storygraph'

2 stars

A dry and thankfully short read.

The protagonist does little more than roll around in bed complaining about his pain and the unfairness of his situation despite it being self-inflicted. As a housebound, barely-mobile sufferer of chronic pain myself, I find it hard to feel sympathy for Ilych, who makes his pain and self-inflicted depression everyone else's problem despite having the privilege of a generous opium supply - a strong painkiller and a controlled substance in the modern age, even for the terminally ill.

The reason why I did not give this novel one star is because Ilych's complaining and the interactions of those who knew and lived with him came with a few interesting insights on the themes of domestic abuse, death, depression and success vs wealth. I intend to re-read it mindfully and with a highlighter to pick those insights out and any more I might have missed …

David Swinstead reviewed The Death of Ivan Ilyich (Bantam Classics) by Leo Tolstoy

The fascination of the mundane - but with rather flat prose

3 stars

I'd been wanting to dive into some Russian classics for a while, and Google told me this one was the most accessible so there it is.

Found a cheap used copy from a little independent store, result!

Unfortunately, and I wonder if it was maybe due to the translator, I found the prose a little flat, lacking much depth or character.

I did like the story, there's something quite fascinating about a tale of the fantastically mundane.

I did also like how it ended but of course I won't say any spoilers here.

But ultimately... I didn't love this book. I liked it but I didn't love it.

It is short and accessible so if you're like me and just wanting to experience some Tolstoy in a few hours, it's a good choice.

adelaide reviewed The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

Review of 'The Death of Ivan Ilych' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

Interesting and captivating portrayal of a lonely death after a slowly deteriorating mental and physical state. Episodic and unnecessary paragraphs are common in this novella nonetheless, which made it difficult to enjoy for me.

Dee reviewed The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

Review of 'The Death of Ivan Ilych' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Interesting read. The beginning felt a little underwhelming but it grew on to be better by the end. I particularly liked the way Ivan is written to have a yearning for pity and detest for reminders of life from those around him, a more unique take on a chronically ill character aware that death is approaching him.

4/5 that up until halfway through was going to be a solid 3. I still do not believe Tolstoy's characters are such intricately designed masterpieces for a man that criticised Dostoevsky for his archetypal doomed protagonist.

Matto reviewed The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

Review of 'The Death of Ivan Ilych' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

A must read for everyone

gamer reviewed The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

Review of 'The Death of Ivan Ilych' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

It's amazing how such a short book can be so profound and life-changing.

arnoud999 reviewed The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

Review of 'The Death of Ivan Ilych' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

A short read on what Ivan experiences while dying. Provides interesting questions but gives no easy answers.

Pentapod reviewed The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

Review of 'The Death of Ivan Ilych' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

The short novel is about exactly what you'd expect from the title: the death of Ivan Ilych. All the stages he goes through to get there, and the reactions of those around him. Less a novel and more of a philosophical examination of death and mortality, really.

The Gnome King reviewed The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

Review of 'The Death of Ivan Ilych' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Tolstoy at his best. If anybody s unsure whether to try war and peace or Anna Karenina then try this first to see just what the man can do. This story is a brief intro into Ivan Ilych's life and then his illness and the thoughts going through his head as he is on his deathbed. Some shocking thoughts that you can't help but understand why he thinks them.

Fantastic stuff, I have another one of his to read next, I was gonna wait but gonna jump straight into it.