Book 1 - Chapter 27

Characters Present:

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya 
Prince Nicholas Bolkónski

Princess Mary Bolkónskaya

his father´s architect, Michael Ivánovich

A French woman, Mademoiselle Bourienne

Setting:

Bald Hill Estate

The characters all go in to the dining room to eat dinner. They discuss the war again and old Prince Nicholas declares that today's men don´t even know the ABC of war and that they are all babies.  He goes onto claim that Bonaparte is but a little Frenchy and that there is nothing wrong in Europe at all at the moment.

Dinner ends, and Princess Lisa is impressed by Prince Nicholas and says so to Princess Mary.

Book 1 - Chapter 26

Characters Present:

Princess Mary Bolkónskaya

Prince Andrew Bolkónski and his wife, 
Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya

Prince Nicholas Bolkónski

A random French woman who seems to live there called Mademoiselle Bourienne

Setting:

Bald Hill Estate

Princess Lisa and Prince Andrew arrive at Bald Hills and Lisa and Mary are overjoyed to see one another. There is much rejoicing.

Prince Andrew goes into the drawing room to visit with his father, Prince Nicholas. They discuss the war for the whole time. Prince Andrew reveals that the Russian stratagem will be to send an army of ninety-thousand to Prussia to threaten them out of their neutrality, send some of these men join some Swedish forces at Stralsund, send two-hundred-and-twenty-thousand Russians to join up with one-hundred-thousand Austrians in Italy and the Rhine and send fifty-thousand men to join up with as many English in Naples. Essentially, the armies are to surround the French forces and attack them from various sides.

Book 1 - Chapter 25

Characters Present:

Prince Nicholas Bolkónski -father of Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Princess Mary Bolkónskaya - daughter of Nicholas

A letter received from Julie Kuragina , who was at the Rostov´s dinner thing, upsetting one of the Rostóv daughters for flirting with the Rostóv cousin, Nicholas.

Location:

An estate called Bald Hill, to which Prince Nicholas Bolkónski was exiled by the Emperor.

Princess Mary, who seems to be quite timid, goes for her morning geography lesson with her father.

She doesn´t understand straight away, Nicholas gets cranky as she expected and she retires to her room to finish her lesson for the day and also read a letter that Julie sent.

Julie says that Nicholas Rostóv has gone to war now, and that there will possibly be an arranged marriage between herself and Pierre, who is the new Count Berzúkhov. 

Volume1: Book 1 - Chapter 24

Characters Present:

Pierre Bezukhov

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya

Prince Vasíli Kurágin

Count Bezukhov´s horrid daughters

Location: 

The tea room at Count Berzúkhov´s house.

Everyone, except for one of the daughters, is in the tea room having refreshments after the previous night.

The missing daughter appears holding a portfolio which contains a forgotten version of the count´s will. Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya attempts to take the portfolio off the daughter, who keeps a tight grip on it. There is an argument between them which Prince Vasíli Kurágin breaks up. News that the count has died is then delivered into the tea-room.

Book 1 - Chapter 23

Characters Present:

Pierre Bezukhov

Count Cyril Bezukhov

A scattering of servants

A couple of priests

Setting: Count Bezúkhov´s bedroom.

Pierre finds Count Bezukhov partially upright in a chair holding a candle, assisted by a servant. The count is given sacrament and is then moved back to his bed.

Pierre goes to sit as his side, realises how close to death his father is and sheds some tears. The count falls asleep and everyone leaves.

Book 1 - Chapter 22

Characters Present:

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya

Pierre Bezukhov
Prince Vasíle Kurágin

Location:  

Count Bezúkhov´s house

Anna insists on accompanying Pierre to his dying fathers house. She constantly reassures him that he is like a son to her and that she will help him through it all.

They arrive and while walking through a hall, they catch a glimpse of Vasíle and and one of the Count's daughters scheming. The daughter gets up and slams the door.

Pierre composes himself and is about to go into his fathers chambers.

Book 1 - Chapter 21

Characters Present:

Prince Vasíli Kurágin

Princess Catish Semënovna (The dying Count Bezúkhov´s eldest daughter)

Location:

Count Bezukhov´s house.

While the party is happening at the Rostov´s, Count Bezukhov has his sixth stroke and it is not expected that he will live through the night.

Vasíli goes to Catish's rooms and they have a heated discussion about the will and the inheritance. Apparently Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya went to the house during the previous year and told horrid stories about all three of the counts daughters. It was at this time that the Count changed his will so that his illegitimate son, Pierre Bezukhov would inherit everything.

Vasíli and Catish start to scheme about how they will challenge Pierre´s claim to the fortune.

Book 1 - Chapter 20

Characters Present:

Sonya Rostova

Natasha Rostova

Location: 

At the Rostóv´s house.

The dinner party finished and the guests have moved into the two drawing rooms. Natasha notices that Sonya is missing and goes to find her.

She discovers Sonya crying, and upon asking why, finds out that Nicholas Rostóv has received his papers to leave for the army the following week. Sonya is also upset because she thinks that he is becoming keen on Julie Karagina , and that they will have trouble marrying because they are cousins. 

Natasha reassures Sonya that it shouldn´t be a problem, because their Uncle Shinshín´s brother didn´t have any problems when he married his first cousin.

Volume 1: Book 1 - Chapter 19

Characters Present:

Count Ilya Rostóv

Countess Natalya Rostova

Random Rostov children

Pierre Bezukhov

A German Colonel

Shinshín

Márya Dmítrievna

Other nameless guests.

Location:

 At the Rostóv´s - the dinner has begun

The colonel tells everyone that a declaration of war has already arrived in Petersburg and a copy had already been forward to the Commander in Chief. Shinshín asks why they would bother fighting Napoleon as he had already beaten Austria.

Pierre agrees with him and the youngest Rostóv daughter, Natasha, starts screaming for ice cream, which the guests find amusing.

Book 1 - Chapter 18

Characters Present:

Count Ilya Rostov
Shinshín (also called Peter Nikolávich)
Lieutenant Alphonse Karlovich Berg (German)

Other nameless guests.

Location:

Count Rostov´s drawing room.

The dinner party at the Rostóv´s will soon begin, only they are waiting on the attendance of one Márya Dmítrievna, who is also referred to as le terrible drangon on account of her sharp tongue.

The conversation in the drawing room is based solely around the upcoming war that had been announced in the manifesto, though nobody had actually seen the manifesto.

Shinshín, who is an older gentleman but dressed in a rather young fashion, is questioning Lieutenant Berg about his choice to join the guard instead of the cavalry. Shinshín puts forth that Berg´s career would be furthered more if he were to join the cavalry. Berg responds that he will get paid more being in the guard.

Book 1 - Chapter 17

Characters Present:

Count Ilya Rostóv

Countess Natalya Rostova

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya

Location:

The Rostóv´s house.

Countess Natalya Rostova is upset over the financial plight of her friend, Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya, and asks her husband, Count Ilya Rostov for 500 rubles. He gives her 700 rubles without asking any questions.

Princess Anna arrives, and the Countess gives her the money. They both weep as they had been friends since childhood and were now having to deal with such base matters as money.

Book 1 - Chapter 16

Characters Present:

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya

Boris Drubetskóy

Prince Vasíli Kurágin

Count Cyril Bezukhov's three horrid daughters

Pierre Bezukhov

Location: 

Count Berzúkhov house.

Pierre arrives back and requests of his half-sisters to see their father, but they are nasty, and say that the Count is too ill and upset about the bear incident. We also learn that Pierre was expelled from Petersburg over the bear incident, and so has had to come back to Moscow.

Anna sends Boris upstairs to visit Pierre, who doesn´t recognise him at first. Boris invites Pierre to the Rostóv´s for dinner that evening. Boris also makes a point of telling Pierre that he is not wanting the Count´s money.

Book 1 - Chapter 15

Characters Present:

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya

Pierre Bezukhov
Prince Vasíli Kurágin

Location:  

Count Bezúkhov´s house

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya insists on accompanying Pierre to his dying fathers house. She constantly reassures him that he is like a son to her and that she will help him through it all.

They arrive and while walking through a hall, they catch a glimpse of Prince Vasíle Kurágin and and one of the Count's daughters scheming. The daughter gets up and slams the door.

Pierre composes himself and is about to go into his fathers chambers.

Book 1 - Chapter 14

Characters Present

Countess Natalya Rostova 

Véra Rostova - the eldest daughter of the Count and Countess.

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya (apparently her coach hasn´t arrived yet)

Setting:

At the Rostóv´s house.

Countess Natalya Rostova and Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya are getting closer to having their conversation, and ask Véra to leave.

Véra leaves and finds the young couples canoodling. She is rather rude to them, they tell her that she is always unpleasant and she goes away.

Meanwhile, the Countess and Princess Anna  start to have their conversation and discuss Boris´s transfer to the guard. Princess Anna will approach Boris´s godfather, Count Cyril Vladimirovich Bezúkhov to have Boris moved to further safety as she does not have the money, and mentions something about a lawsuit which is draining her funds.

Book 1 - Chapter 13

Characters Present

Natalya Rostova - 13 years old

Nicholas Rostóv

Natasha Rostova - 12 years old

Sónya Rostova - The Count´s 15 year old niece
Boris Drubetskóy

Location: 

Somewhere in the Rostóv house.

We learn that Natasha is in love with Boris, and that they will get married in four years.

Sonja and Nicholas are about to have a conversation.

Book 1 - Chapter 12

Characters Present:

Countess Natalya Rostova 
Count Ilya Rostóv 

Natalya Rostava - 13 year old daughter of the Count and Countess

Nicholas Rostóv- son of the Count and Countess

Natasha Rostova - youngest daughter of the Count and Countess

Sonya Rostova -  15 year old niece of the Count and Countess
Véra Rostova - the eldest daughter of the Count and Countess
Petya Rostóv- youngest son of the Count and Countess

Sónya Rostova - The Count´s 15 year old niece

Julie Karagina - an attractive young woman

Location: 

Still at the Rostóv´s house.

There is a conversation about Nicholas wanting to run off to join the army because Boris Drubetskoy is in the army. He disagrees and looks embarrassed. In the meantime, his cousin, Sonya, is casting flirty looks in his direction, but he instead has a private chat with Julie, which upsets Sónya, who runs off. Nicholas notices and follows her out.

Book 1 - Chapter 11

Characters Present:

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya

Boris Drubetskóy
Countess Natalya Rostova 

Other guests.

Setting:

 The Rostóv´s house.

There is a lull in the conversation and Countess Natalya is ready for people to leave. A gaggle of children run in, giving the visitors something more to talk about.

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya then asks her son, Boris to order a coach for her.

Book 1 - Chapter 10

Characters Present:

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya

Countess Natalya Rostova
Natalya Rostova (The Countess's daughter)

Other nameless visitors.

Setting:

The Rostóv´s house.

It is both Countess Natalya Rostóva and her daughter, Natalya's birthday and they are receiving visitors with Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya.

Princess Anna is pleased, as Prince Vasíli Kurágin kept his word and managed to get her son, Boris Drubetskóy, into the guard.

The gossip of the moment centres mostly on Pierre and his friends and their shenanigans.

The latest news of them involves an incident with the bear and a policeman, whereby the policeman was tied back-to-back with the bear, and both were then set free into a river. The bear proceeded to swim down the river with the policemen on its back.

Book 1 - Chapter 9

Characters Present:

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

An Englishman

Prince Anatole Kurágin

Fedor Ivanovich Dólokhov
Pierre Bezukhov

Location: 

The stately home of Anatole and Dólokhov

It is 1am, and Pierre takes his leave of Andrew. 

He goes to a society party, though he promised not to, and finds his friends drunkenly playing with a bear cub on a chain. They are also making bets as to who can sit on the third floor window ledge and drink a bottle of rum in a single swill. Though the Englishman was going to do it initially, Fedor takes up the challenge and succeeds. 

Pierre gets rather excited, demands that someone brings him a bottle of rum so that he might do the same, and proceeds to dance around the room with the bear.

Book 1 - Chapter 8

Characters Present:

Pierre Bezukhov

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Location: 

Prince Andrew´s study.

Andrew rants for a while about how stupid and vain women are and advises Pierre never to marry.

He then makes Pierre promise not to go to Prince Vasíle Kurágin's party that evening in an attempt to ensure that Pierre never mixes with the society women.

Volume 1: Book 1 - Chapter 7

Characters Present:

Pierre Bezukhov

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya (Andrew´s wife)

Location: 

Prince Andrew´s study.

Pierre and Andrew are still talking about the war when Lisa enters the room. She makes a comment about men being egotistical and violent and goes on to say that women would never allow a war to happen.

She gets rather upset about Andrew going to war, with her being pregnant and all, and mentions that she resents being sent away to the country to be with Andrew´s father and sister. Andrew is a bit of bastard in response to it all and Lisa tells him that he has changed since they were married.

Pierre is awkward about the scene and tries to leave, but Andrew grabs his hand, insists that he stays and proceeds to send Lisa to bed under the premise that the doctor told her that she has to have early nights now.

Volume 1: Book 1 - Chapter 6

Characters Present:

Anna Pávlovna
Prince Hippolyte Kurágin
Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya
Vicomte Mortemarte
Pierre Bezukhov
Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Location:

Firstly at Anna Pávlovna´s reception

Secondly, Prince Andrew´s study.

The guests finally leave the reception and Hippolyte gets a bit touchy-feely with Lisa. Mortemart notices and is nothing but encouraging.

The scene then moves to Pierre lying languidly on Andrew´s sofa, where they discuss what occupation that Pierre will take. Prince Andrew reveals that he will soon leave for battle.

Book 1 - Chapter 5

Characters Present:

Anna Pávlovna

Vicomte Mortemart

Pierre Bezukhov

Prince Andrew Bolkónski

Hippolyte Kurágin

Setting:

Still at Anna Pávlovna´s reception

The discussion about Napoleon has moved into more serious realms, with Andrew snidely disagreeing with anything that Mortemart has to say on the matter.

Mortemart believes that if Napoleon is on the throne for one year longer, then matters will have gone too far and that French society will be forever doomed. Prince Andrew believes that it will now be too difficult to return France to its prior state.

To Anna´s horror, Pierre decides to add his two cents and says that Napoleon is fantastic and that his various horrifying acts, including the execution of the Duc, are signs of a great leader. Despite all of this being very awkward, this endears Pierre to Andrew even more, and Hippolyte steps in to save the day with an extraordinarily awkward anecdote about a woman who prefers large servants.

Volume 1: Book 1 - Chapter 4

Characters Present:

Anna Pávlovna

Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya

Princess Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya

Prince Andrew Bolkónski 

Prince Vasíle Kuragin
Pierre Bezukhov

Location:

Still at Anna Pávlovna´s reception.

Andrew arrives and is utterly bored by the company and his wife, Lisa. He is by comparison, delighted when Pierre approaches him, and takes his arm and insists that they meet for dinner.

Anna Mikháylovna Drubetskáya implores Vasíle, to speak to the Emperor about moving her son into the Guard. 

Vasíle is resistant at first, but is soon convinced when Princess Anna reminds him of how her father helped his own career along. He agrees to effect the move, and then is told that he will be late for a fete held by his daughter, Princess Héléne Kuragina, and leaves.

Volume 1: Book 1 - Chapter 3

Characters Present:

Anna Pávlovna

Princess Hélène Kuragina

Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya

Vicomte Mortemart

Pierre Bezukhov

Prince Hippolyte Kurágin 

An Abbot

Location:

Still at Anna´s reception.

The party is now in full swing, and the guests have formed into three groups; the most interesting being the the one with Mortemart at the centre, who is gossiping about the murder of Duc d´Enghien.

Mortemart is so charming that the beautiful Hélène´s circle merge into his and Mortemart proceeds to tell a tale of Duc d´Enghien going to Paris secretly to visit Mademoiselle George. At her house, he meets Bonaparte, who reportedly also enjoys the Mademoiselle's favours. Apparently Bonaparte fainted in the presence of Duc d´Enghien and due to extreme embarrassment, Bonaparte had the Duc killed.

Anna interrupts an impolite conversation between the Abbot and Pierre, and proceeds to move them into the larger group so that she can observe and control their conversation.

Volume 1: Book 1 - Chapter 2

Characters Present:

Anna Pávlovna
Anna Pávlovna´s Aunt
Prince Vasíli Kurágin
Hélène Kuragina- Prince Vasíli´s daugher, 
Hippolyte Kurágin
Vicomte Mortemart
Princess Lisa Bolkónskaya (married to Prince Andrew Bolkónski) - Pregnant
Pierre Bezúukhov - The illegitimate son of Count Bezúkhov

 
Location:

Still at Anna´s reception.


More people are arriving at the reception. Nobody wants to speak to Anna´s Aunt, as she is a stodgy old woman that they are made to greet on arrival. They subsequently get exposed to her ramblings about the queen's health.

Anna is mildly offended by Pierre, who has just arrived back from an overseas education and has no idea how to behave in proper society. This is his first outing into it and he is fascinated by the conversational matter of the other guests, leading him to jump from discussion to discussion.

Volume 1: Book 1 - Chapter 1

Characters Present:

Anna Pávlovna (Maid of Honour to Empress Marya Fyodorovna)

Prince Vasíli Kurágin

Location: 

Anna Pávlovna's house for tea

The prince is the only one there so far. They discuss Napoleon for a bit and mention that England and the rest of Europe are not doing enough to stop him, Austria are bastards and Russia alone must save Europe.

They then move onto other topics, including the Prince´s three children, of which only two are charming. In other social matters, Prince Vasíli requests to be set up in an affair with Prince Andrew Bolkónski´s new wife, Lisa, who is bored.