Fathers and SonsFathers and Sons
Score Classic
What it's about
In mid-19th-century rural Russia, the Kirsanov family, who stand for the old order, clash with Bazarov, a fierce young anti-hero.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It captures the generational conflict that foreshadowed the Russian Revolution.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's a translation from Russian.
By the numbers
- Readers41 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Ivan Turgenev
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Quick answers
Is Fathers and Sons worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,208 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 63.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Fathers and Sons about?
In mid-19th-century rural Russia, the Kirsanov family, who stand for the old order, clash with Bazarov, a fierce young anti-hero.
How long does it take to read Fathers and Sons?
About 6 hours (234 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Fathers and Sons?
If you liked it, try Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov, Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol or Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.