Set against the sweeping backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, War and Peace begins its epic journey through Russian society at a time of great upheaval. In this first volume, we are introduced to the intertwined lives of aristocratic families—the Bezukhovs, Bolkonskys, and Rostovs—as they navigate love, ambition, duty, and destiny. Pierre Bezukhov, the awkward but earnest heir to a vast fortune, seeks purpose in a world of privilege. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, disillusioned by high society, pursues gl ...