Reviews

A Faint Heart by Fyodor Dostoevsky

readerrrrrrrrrr's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

sarsapin's review against another edition

tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

3.0

busybeebea's review against another edition

5.0

Ler Dostoyevsky é como se alguém te tocasse numa ferida que há muito pensavas curada, guardada bem nos confins do sotão, somente lá porque, tal como a mobília que te povoa a alma, também ela te é inerente. Ler Dostoyevsky é ler sobre "o abismo da alma humana", é perceber que não passamos de pó no ar.

Coração Débil é portanto, mais um exemplo da intrínseca complexidade crua e frágil da condição humana, tanto que em 90 páginas senti os meus níveis de ansiedade aumentarem a escala até que, às tantas não sabia se Dostoyevsky escrevia sobre Vássia ou se sobre mim.

É preciso um bom livro para te tocar na alma, mas fazê-lo em tão poucas páginas é de mestre.

fanxyst's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

driish's review

lighthearted sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This short book was interesting in terms of the message that the author tried to question. The writing of this book was easy to understand and didn’t feel clunky at all. Even if the book felt slow and a little stagnant, it still had good pacing, distinguished characters and a dreamlike atmosphere, but also weird. The story itself felt average, although the conversation between the friends was lively and raw. At first, I thought that Vasya changed to a person who is so absorbed with his love that he forgets his needs and identity. Although, this aspect is still worthy to discuss as he showed brief signs of this.

The main point of this book is Vasya’s change – from extreme happiness to insanity. Vasya became afraid of being happy, which is a very human thing to feel. It felt that he didn’t truly know the meaning of being happy, it seemed foreign, hence making him scared. Vasya’s act of pushing his friend away may have seem dismissive and cruel, although, it might have felt silly to him to be worrying of such thing. This led to him closing off to everyone around him and started faking his smiles and towards his commitment to his work. Vasya couldn’t handle happiness because he never felt such, and as much as he tried, he drowned in himself.

Overall, a very meaningful and raw story that touches something that is not very discussed. The author posed a question about the avoidants and about people who are afraid of commitment. If Vasya had chosen to live, then he would eventually break his and his girl’s heart, because he was afraid of the unknown outcome. Although, the message is memorable, I feel like the story and the characters are not. But it was an interesting story.

lordmortem's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

zeomichello's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

alexaela's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Une nouvelle sur la thématique de la folie mais surtout du sentiment d’imposteur d’un personnage cental confronté à un bonheur qu’il ne se pense pas digne de mériter. Beaucoup de dialogues qui permettent à l’histoire de se distinguer des histoires psychologiques habituelles, généralement plus axées sur une plongée introspective dans la folie. Il est clair que je préfère le Dostoïevski sentimental et larmoyant au Dostoïevski très sombre et critique... L’idiot you are next !

charli_jomadelyn's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

• This book was heavily reliant on dialogue which I didn’t particularly enjoy. The conversations which were predominantly between Vasya and Arkady Ivanovitch felt too concise. However the narration  itself was so beautiful especially towards the last few pages. 

16nnovs's review against another edition

4.0

poor vasya :(