But despite a TV adaptation of the book aired on the BBC, even some of the stars of the production have admitted to never reading the classic before landing their roles.

 

The epic¹ novel about the French invasion of Russia seen through the eyes of five aristocratic families, by Leo Tolstoy, was first published in 1869 and took the author more than six years to write.

 

It is considered one of the great novels of the literary world but also as a tough read, given it is length and the fact it has more than 600 characters.

 

And several of the stars have admitted to the Telegraph only reading it when landing their roles.

 

Lily James, who plays Natasha Rostov in the epic said she had never read the book but was hooked once she started ploughing through it while on the set of Downton Abbey.

 

She said: 'I was reading it while we were filming Downton Abbey. I'd be reading between takes at the dining table. The director would call "Action" and - bang!- the book would be back under the table.'

 

James Norton who plays her love interest Prince Andrei admitted he only managed a few pages of the classic before filming began, while on the set of another TV show.

 

He added: 'The only bit I read before was when I was sitting at that bus stop, waiting for the cameras to turn around, I got through around ten pages.'

 

While Paul Dano, who plays Pierre Bezukhov admitted when he did get round to reading it, he found a few parts difficult to get through.

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