這部小說生動(dòng)地描寫了1805至1820年俄國社會(huì)的重大歷史事件和各個(gè)生活領(lǐng)域：“近千個(gè)人物，無數(shù)的場景，國家和私人生活的一切可能的領(lǐng)域，歷史，戰(zhàn)爭，人間一切慘劇，各種情欲，人生各個(gè)階段，從嬰兒降臨人間的啼聲到氣息奄奄的老人的感情比較后迸發(fā)，人所能感受到的一切歡樂和痛苦，各種可能的內(nèi)心思緒，從竊取自己同伴的錢幣的小偷的感覺，到英雄主義的比較崇高的沖動(dòng)和領(lǐng)悟透徹的沉思— —在這幅畫里都應(yīng)有盡有。”作者對生活的大面積涵蓋和整體把握，對個(gè)別現(xiàn)象與事物整體、個(gè)人命運(yùn)與周圍世界的內(nèi)在聯(lián)系的充分揭示，使這部小說具有極大的思想和藝術(shù)容量。 這是托爾斯泰創(chuàng)作的第一部卷秩浩繁的長篇小說。 作者把戰(zhàn)爭與和平，前線與后方、國內(nèi)與國外、軍隊(duì)與社會(huì)、上層與下層連結(jié)起來，既全面反映了時(shí)代風(fēng)貌，又為各式各樣的典型人物創(chuàng)造了極廣闊的典型環(huán)境。作者對人物的描寫形象既復(fù)雜又豐滿，常用對比的藝術(shù)方法來表述，體裁在俄國文學(xué)史上是一種創(chuàng)新，也超越了歐洲長篇小說的傳統(tǒng)規(guī)范。

ON HIS RETURN to Moscow from the army, Nikolay Rostov was received by his family as a hero, as the best of sons, their idolised Nikolenka; by his relations, as a charming, agreeable, and polite young man; by his acquaintances as a handsome lieutenant of hussars, a good dancer, and one of the best matches in Moscow.

All Moscow was acquainted with the Rostovs; the old count had plenty of money that year, because all his estates had been mortgaged, and so Nikolenka, who kept his own racehorse, and wore the most fashionable riding-breeches of a special cut, unlike any yet seen in Moscow, and the most fashionable boots, with extremely pointed toes, and little silver spurs, was able to pass his time very agreeably. After the first brief interval of adapting himself to the old conditions of life, Rostov felt very happy at being home again. He felt that he had grown up and become a man.

His despair at failing in a Scripture examination, his borrowing money from Gavrilo for his sledge-drivers, his stolen kisses with Sonya—all that he looked back upon as childishness from which he was now immeasurably remote. Now he was a lieutenant of hussars with a silver-braided jacket, and a soldier's cross of St. George, he had a horse in training for a race, and kept company with well-known racing men, elderly and respected persons. He had struck up an acquaintance too, with a lady living in a boulevard, whom he used to visit in the evening. He led the mazurka at the Arharovs' balls, talked to Field-Marshal Kamensky about the war, and used familiar forms of address to a colonel of forty, to whom he had been introduced by Denisov.

His passion for the Tsar flagged a little in Moscow, as he did not see him, and had no chance of seeing him all that time. But still he often used to talk about the Emperor and his love for him, always with a suggestion in his tone that he was not saying all that there was in his feeling for the Emperor, something that every one could not understand; and with his whole heart he shared the general feeling in Moscow of adoration for the Emperor Alexander Pavlovitch, who was spoken of at that time in Moscow by the designation of the “angel incarnate.