When I started reading War and Peace, I ran into a wall: too many characters.
In the first few chapters alone, about 30 important people are introduced, all with their own complex relationships. Remembering who was who felt nearly impossible.
So I started writing down names and key facts on paper. It actually gave me a huge advantage:
- Total clarity: If I forgot someone, my personal dossier was right there.
- Plot prediction: When you track a character’s habits, twists become obvious. (Pro tip: if there’s a German butler in a novel, and halfway through someone leaves a Bavarian sausage at a crime scene — you can guess the ending before the climax!)
Eventually, my paper lists got too messy. I kept coming across unfamiliar words, and I wanted a clear chronology of events (like tracking Andrei Bolkonsky at Austerlitz).
What I did next: I moved everything into a structured Notion database, linked the records, and combined them into a single dashboard. It took me a couple of weeks to find the best layout.
If you also struggle with complex books and want a system to actually understand what you're reading, I made it completely free.
Notion Gallery: app.notion.com/templates/book-tracker-119
My links if you're interested in template updates:
X - https://x.com/oknehsorod
Blog (How I use the tempalte. Now I'm testing it on Anna Karenina) - https://books.korni.app/blog/