I found it to be typical of mid century writing in so many ways that mostly annoy. Forget the movie, its not the book.
Too real, too obscure, having said that the love story is OK but I could not relate to the characters, I'm sure it was mostly my state of mind at the time of reading (dealing with my mother's rapid decline and death) but we could also blame Pasternak; it always seems like he is rattling off a bunch of ideas too quickly.
There are a lot of conversations regarding religion, death, and existence.
All very good stuff but always felt hurried.
The theme of the book is distruction and those seeking, wielding, and attaining power, and the havoc that spues on the rest of us.
It reminds one of how the Anarchists love to blow things up and then remake them in another completely different but similarly crap-ass manner.
The result is ALWAYS the powerless, disinterested, and the Lovers get caught up in the shit-storm of change that produces only more of the "same but different"
In this story we have a man who is not great, not bad, and gets in his own way of taking advantage of the best opportunities that come his way. He is self destructive like most of us, he cannot get away from his principles to find security. He continues to make difficulties.
We have a women wronged by an older man, attempts revenge and gets away with it due to the chaotic circumstances of the times. After escaping justice for her actions she is capable of living life for the betterment of those around her.
We have two married peoples that have found their true loves outside of their marriages.
A pretty old trope for stories, and maybe a dream for many.
So we get to follow along the HARSH world of early 20th century Russia. Each country is it's history make-up and these people have had a tough history. A really tough history. Brutalization upon, Brutalization, upon Brutalization.
No wonder they call us Naive.
The 1st owner left a couple of leafs from The Saturday Review in the book. Classic idealism of the last century.
