'Anna Karenina, Book 4' Summary

In Book 4 of Anna Karenina, Anna's husband, Alexei Karenin, is increasingly torn between his desire to forgive his wife's infidelity and his need to uphold his honor and reputation. He considers divorcing Anna, but is reluctant to do so because it would mean giving up his son, Seryozha. Meanwhile, Anna and Vronsky continue their affair, but their happiness is overshadowed by the social ostracism they face. Anna becomes increasingly isolated and withdrawn, while Vronsky grows restless and resentful of the limitations their relationship places on him. In a parallel storyline, Kitty and Levin meet again in Moscow. Kitty is still struggling to come to terms with the death of her brother, Nikolai, and Levin is still trying to find his place in the world. Their relationship is strained by their different personalities and values, but they are drawn to each other despite themselves.