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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
i’m not sure i can find the perfect words to fully express how much i love this novel, but it’s undoubtedly one of the few i’ve read that truly deserves to be regarded as a literary masterpiece. raskolnikov is, in my view, one of the most psychologically complex and compelling characters ever created.
his ideology is especially fascinating: his belief in his own extraordinariness and his supposed ability to transcend traditional morality and law appears, in many ways, to serve as a compensation for a lack of self-worth and an underlying fear of powerlessness. yet the very ideology that initially seems to empower him ultimately becomes the source of suffering.
this leaves us to question whether a man of conscience can ever truly escape it. does punishment only come through legal consequences, or is the punishment of realizing you’ve destroyed yourself even worse? and does intellectual pride bring any real fulfillment, or does it inevitably lead to isolation and suffering?
his ideology is especially fascinating: his belief in his own extraordinariness and his supposed ability to transcend traditional morality and law appears, in many ways, to serve as a compensation for a lack of self-worth and an underlying fear of powerlessness. yet the very ideology that initially seems to empower him ultimately becomes the source of suffering.
this leaves us to question whether a man of conscience can ever truly escape it. does punishment only come through legal consequences, or is the punishment of realizing you’ve destroyed yourself even worse? and does intellectual pride bring any real fulfillment, or does it inevitably lead to isolation and suffering?
What do you think, would not one tiny crime be wiped out by thousands of good deeds?
Raskolnikov is an ex law student who lives a desperate and impoverished life. In order to improve his situation and that of his family he murders a deceitful pawn broker for money, believing that as a superior man he is above conventional morality. But once the deed is done, he is so gripped by guilt that he gets rid of the stolen money and locks himself out of sight and what follows is a dumb struggle within him as he suffers the consequences of his actions.
The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.
And so he suffers his conscience that torments him every step of the way as he tries to evade a suspicious police investigator while keeping his family at an arm’s length. Even though he has accidentally committed the perfect murder and there are no facts against him, he slips into such a deranged and implacable situation that he is completely rent from the social fabric and cannot be assimilated back. Only Sonya, a downtrodden prostitute, can show him the way to redemption.
Such is the plot of this 19th century masterpiece which, to my mind, is the most realistic psychological examination of a man who commits murder. Other than being a deep study into the experience of crime and its understanding, the novel also blends together with flowing ease the political, social and religious themes and undertones that color that understanding. It is a journey into the back alleys and drinking dens of Russia where the less fortunate, the drunks, the harlots, and the poor, dwell.
A drama, a thriller, a tragic battle of ideas, and the lives of tormented souls – Crime and Punishment has all this and much more. The depth with which the ideas are presented warrants deeper study and attention.
Being a tome of 576 pages, it is indeed a page turner and reads like a feverish dream which is yet so indescribably palpable. The characters are so lifelike and their stories so desperate and heart-wrenching that they lay bare the human soul at its most grotesque and vulnerable times. The plot lines weave through the novel seamlessly offering a genuine glimpse into 19th century Russia that was plagued with poverty, class division, and new-age revolutionary theories that were just on the horizon.
I picked the audiobook version read by Anthony Heald after sampling on Audible, and I couldn’t have picked a better narration. The voice modulation and characterizations were on point, and listening to it I was able to grasp and appreciate better the subtleties, reading it as I was a second time.
Raskolnikov is an ex law student who lives a desperate and impoverished life. In order to improve his situation and that of his family he murders a deceitful pawn broker for money, believing that as a superior man he is above conventional morality. But once the deed is done, he is so gripped by guilt that he gets rid of the stolen money and locks himself out of sight and what follows is a dumb struggle within him as he suffers the consequences of his actions.
The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.
And so he suffers his conscience that torments him every step of the way as he tries to evade a suspicious police investigator while keeping his family at an arm’s length. Even though he has accidentally committed the perfect murder and there are no facts against him, he slips into such a deranged and implacable situation that he is completely rent from the social fabric and cannot be assimilated back. Only Sonya, a downtrodden prostitute, can show him the way to redemption.
Such is the plot of this 19th century masterpiece which, to my mind, is the most realistic psychological examination of a man who commits murder. Other than being a deep study into the experience of crime and its understanding, the novel also blends together with flowing ease the political, social and religious themes and undertones that color that understanding. It is a journey into the back alleys and drinking dens of Russia where the less fortunate, the drunks, the harlots, and the poor, dwell.
A drama, a thriller, a tragic battle of ideas, and the lives of tormented souls – Crime and Punishment has all this and much more. The depth with which the ideas are presented warrants deeper study and attention.
Being a tome of 576 pages, it is indeed a page turner and reads like a feverish dream which is yet so indescribably palpable. The characters are so lifelike and their stories so desperate and heart-wrenching that they lay bare the human soul at its most grotesque and vulnerable times. The plot lines weave through the novel seamlessly offering a genuine glimpse into 19th century Russia that was plagued with poverty, class division, and new-age revolutionary theories that were just on the horizon.
I picked the audiobook version read by Anthony Heald after sampling on Audible, and I couldn’t have picked a better narration. The voice modulation and characterizations were on point, and listening to it I was able to grasp and appreciate better the subtleties, reading it as I was a second time.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just can't get into this ... I tried to push through but it's just not what I hoped.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this is the second time I've read Crime and Punishment, and I wonder how much more I got out of this time than last time. (I also wonder what the translator differences are like)
Ultimately, the book is about a man who kills an old woman (who acts as an under-the-table pawnbroker for the poor) and her companion, and then spends the next 500 pages unraveling by degrees. But we also get insight into his life, and subsequently the life of those around him. What's a remarkable feat of Dostoevsky's is that somehow the main protagonist, despite his murders, is actually not the most reprehensible character in the book. There are others that will make your skin crawl.
It's not a happy book. It's full of strife, and sadness, and destitution. There are happy moments, but they shine through the grime. They're never enough to wash it away. But that said, it's an interesting book.
The writing is not the easiest to get through (to nobody's shock), but it's absolutely worth it to work your way through. I would never recommend this for a casual vacation or beach read, but if you're up for a challenge I think this is a good one.
Ultimately, the book is about a man who kills an old woman (who acts as an under-the-table pawnbroker for the poor) and her companion, and then spends the next 500 pages unraveling by degrees. But we also get insight into his life, and subsequently the life of those around him. What's a remarkable feat of Dostoevsky's is that somehow the main protagonist, despite his murders, is actually not the most reprehensible character in the book. There are others that will make your skin crawl.
It's not a happy book. It's full of strife, and sadness, and destitution. There are happy moments, but they shine through the grime. They're never enough to wash it away. But that said, it's an interesting book.
The writing is not the easiest to get through (to nobody's shock), but it's absolutely worth it to work your way through. I would never recommend this for a casual vacation or beach read, but if you're up for a challenge I think this is a good one.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes