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_gabi_'s review against another edition
dark
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
lumbra's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What else to say, it's a masterpiece.
biolexicon's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe this just happens to me, but I’ll read books and be reminded of certain friends. While reading Crime and Punishment, I was struck by how well this book captures the essence of one of my friends. Weird people seem to walk into his life in the same way Marmeladov walks into Raskolnikov’s. I talked with him about the book and we agreed on one other point: that Raskolnikov and him have very similar psychologies, which is a bit more unsettling. I liked exploring the psychological themes in this book, but didn’t love it. Part of that may be because my friend who identifies with Raskolnikov has such a strong love for this book that my relaxed enjoyment of it seems to pale in comparison. So there is nothing in this book I can directly criticize; it’s more that this book didn’t connect as strongly with me as it did for someone else.
alirizvi1's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it as an intricate and at times relatable character study of Roman. The humanizing process of Crime, Punishment, and Absolution was entertaining with some memorable characters along the way.
nivi_a's review against another edition
2.0
A book which greatly describes the russian society back in those days. Not much to the story line. Lots of psychology. A pretty good read but for beginners it may be a bit boring. As a fantasy and twists lover this book didn't impress me much. But the portrayal of women (Sonya and Dounya) had an effect on me.
tribican97's review against another edition
4.0
A dense story about poverty, love, morality and conscience. I believe that the ideas of the book could be equally well expressed in a shorter length. Nevertheless, Dostoevsky captures the brutal despair of poverty and makes us rethink our life choices.
athousandgreatbooks's review against another edition
5.0
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.
esawys's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75