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chrys_marin's review against another edition
4.0
A classic for a reason, although very dense and hard to get through at times, "The Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoyevsky deserves its title as a masterpiece. The narrative, the moral subtleties, as well as the not so subtle political and religious messages, and its complicated characters make "The Brothers Karamazov" a novel that transcends time and nationality. Although some of Dostoyevsky's messages might be lost if the reader does not know the context (19th century Russia), and hence its full richness not completely appreciated, the core messages about good and evil still get through and make it worth the read.
I must admit that although I enjoyed the novel as a whole, reading it was almost torturous at times: the way is written is anything but straightforward. However, I could not avoid falling in love with Alyosha's character, the younger of the brothers and a "hero" of sorts of the story, as well as being intrigued by the murder that drives the plot. Overall, a book that is best enjoyed if read slowly and not in one sitting; it is worth digesting it slowly so it can be fully appreciated.
I must admit that although I enjoyed the novel as a whole, reading it was almost torturous at times: the way is written is anything but straightforward. However, I could not avoid falling in love with Alyosha's character, the younger of the brothers and a "hero" of sorts of the story, as well as being intrigued by the murder that drives the plot. Overall, a book that is best enjoyed if read slowly and not in one sitting; it is worth digesting it slowly so it can be fully appreciated.
phantomphalanges's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mommaslonglegs's review against another edition
4.0
The O.G. soap opera. Dostoevsky really said i have tea on the bros K and I'm gonna spill it.
shirexsaltt's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bexlrose's review against another edition
5.0
Finished reading The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Well worth the investment of time it takes to read it, in fact, unlike most books I read where I'm reading them to get to the end, this is a book I feel I could read for the rest of my life and not tire of it, indeed I wish it had been even longer.
Alyosha has made it to the top of my list of favourite fictional characters, he's made me want to love more readily and to express it more honestly. He's such a noble and wonderful fellow.
You'll get your yearly dose of philosophy here too, what a mind Dostoyevsky had!
I could say more, but I'll just tell you it was 5 stars and that I'll can't wait to read Crime And Punishment. 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars.
Ps the ending is a little sappy but whatevs.
Alyosha has made it to the top of my list of favourite fictional characters, he's made me want to love more readily and to express it more honestly. He's such a noble and wonderful fellow.
You'll get your yearly dose of philosophy here too, what a mind Dostoyevsky had!
I could say more, but I'll just tell you it was 5 stars and that I'll can't wait to read Crime And Punishment. 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars.
Ps the ending is a little sappy but whatevs.
microbesun's review against another edition
4.25
I know it’s a great book but like what the hell dude
ava1212's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
reverieain's review against another edition
5.0
Did I enjoy this book? I read the penguin classic version which is 900+ pages long. Its pretty dense and I got pretty worn out when Dostoyevsky started to dive into his philosophical talk (the Elder Zosima's chapter especially) though i took my time trying to enjoy it nevertheless because its a lot to take in and it's heavy on religion and politics especially. Crime and punishment and his other works on the other hand are more accessible to readers. Overall, i think this is the type of book that you need to take a moment to enjoy and understand the context behind all the "babbling" because it is something that when you finished it, you will constantly think about.
But what got me really hooked is how complex and different the characters are from each other. We have the sensualist Dmitri, the intellectual Ivan, the spiritually kind Alyosha, the annoying and insufferable Fyodor. It's interesting how Dostoyevsky "Karamazovified" his characters to potray the family in their own unique way. How at the end of the day, they're just.. the Karamazov.. even if he is as saint as Alyosha.
And the exploration on the female characters like Grushenka, Katherina, Mrs. Khokhlakova and Liza. How do i even start? There's so much to talk about, Grushenka and Katya's rivalry which most of the time turns into something petty and dramatic in the end, Khokhlakova's lack of awareness/ out of touch personality, and Liza.. oh Liza the most mind boggling character that I could never stop thinking about. -The little demon- chapter is one of my favorite because its just so abrupt and unhinged. And we have no conclusion abt what happened to her because Dostoyevsky basically ditch her after writing something so out of pocket about that young woman
But what got me really hooked is how complex and different the characters are from each other. We have the sensualist Dmitri, the intellectual Ivan, the spiritually kind Alyosha, the annoying and insufferable Fyodor. It's interesting how Dostoyevsky "Karamazovified" his characters to potray the family in their own unique way. How at the end of the day, they're just.. the Karamazov.. even if he is as saint as Alyosha.
And the exploration on the female characters like Grushenka, Katherina, Mrs. Khokhlakova and Liza. How do i even start? There's so much to talk about, Grushenka and Katya's rivalry which most of the time turns into something petty and dramatic in the end, Khokhlakova's lack of awareness/ out of touch personality, and Liza.. oh Liza the most mind boggling character that I could never stop thinking about. -The little demon- chapter is one of my favorite because its just so abrupt and unhinged. And we have no conclusion abt what happened to her because Dostoyevsky basically ditch her after writing something so out of pocket about that young woman