"The novel’s first words threaten to dissolve all “happy families” into a sea of uninteresting sameness, while unhappy families are unique, intriguing, even romantic. But if the opening line is a universal truth, it is also a challenge Tolstoy sets himself: to shine light on the damnable tragedy that gives unhappiness Canon Press resource: https://canonpress.com/products/worldview-guide-for-anna-karenina