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mistrum_crowe's review
3.0
The House of the Dead was a bit on the disappointing side. For something that was inspired by his own imprisonment, I had hoped for something with a bit more passion. What I got was a meandering, timeless mess of recollections that left practically no impression whatsoever. The writing was good, but if the structure isn't there, then it leaves a lot to be desired.
The far superior novel in this collection, The Gambler is a fascinating look at the dangers of gambling, as well as the kind of social scheming that I'm a great fan of. Perhaps a bit simple at times, but well constructed and engaging.
The far superior novel in this collection, The Gambler is a fascinating look at the dangers of gambling, as well as the kind of social scheming that I'm a great fan of. Perhaps a bit simple at times, but well constructed and engaging.
luhsea's review
4.0
Two great stories — not my favourites from Dostoyevsky but there is always something so compelling about his writing that still shines through here. Both are semi-autobiographical tales, one based on Dostoyevsky's years spent in a Siberian prison and the other his experience of gambling addiction.
The House of the Dead gave a shocking insight into the realities of a Siberian prison camp. I found the characters and the dynamics between individuals and different groups within the prison to be fascinating. The observations made about the daily experiences of the prisoners and the workings of the prison reveal a brutal life full of suffering and yet Dostoyevsky manages to give the story heart too. Three successive chapters had me ranging through a whole series of emotions: in 'Christmas' a sort of quiet despair and pity as the prisoners' attempts at merrymaking are unable to disguise their true misery; in 'The Theatricals' I was full of joy and amusement at the way in which they threw themselves into the performance of a play; in 'The Hospital' a deep feeling of disgust at the horrific conditions and outrage on behalf of the prisoners.
The narrative structure was the let down in this story, it was far too circuitous for my tastes and the narrator kept circling back to reference an anecdote he'd already told or to explain that he would talk more about the subject later. I suppose it felt more like the way someone would retell a story verbally, jumping from one subject to the next as it occurs to them, but it felt a bit sloppy and at times frustrating to read.
The Gambler was an engrossing novella which I burned through very quickly. As someone who is fairly risk-averse and gets a bit nervous even at the thought of gambling, this was an uncomfortable but enthralling read for me. It is obvious the whole time that things are not going to turn out well for Alexei, in fact for his whole group of associates there is a constant sense of impending catastrophe. Dostoyevsky is a master at exploring human psychology through his works and this story was no different, Alexei's unshakeable belief that through willpower and determination he can control his destiny and win at roulette was certainly a fascinating glimpse into the head of someone in the grip of a gambling obsession.
The House of the Dead gave a shocking insight into the realities of a Siberian prison camp. I found the characters and the dynamics between individuals and different groups within the prison to be fascinating. The observations made about the daily experiences of the prisoners and the workings of the prison reveal a brutal life full of suffering and yet Dostoyevsky manages to give the story heart too. Three successive chapters had me ranging through a whole series of emotions: in 'Christmas' a sort of quiet despair and pity as the prisoners' attempts at merrymaking are unable to disguise their true misery; in 'The Theatricals' I was full of joy and amusement at the way in which they threw themselves into the performance of a play; in 'The Hospital' a deep feeling of disgust at the horrific conditions and outrage on behalf of the prisoners.
The narrative structure was the let down in this story, it was far too circuitous for my tastes and the narrator kept circling back to reference an anecdote he'd already told or to explain that he would talk more about the subject later. I suppose it felt more like the way someone would retell a story verbally, jumping from one subject to the next as it occurs to them, but it felt a bit sloppy and at times frustrating to read.
The Gambler was an engrossing novella which I burned through very quickly. As someone who is fairly risk-averse and gets a bit nervous even at the thought of gambling, this was an uncomfortable but enthralling read for me. It is obvious the whole time that things are not going to turn out well for Alexei, in fact for his whole group of associates there is a constant sense of impending catastrophe. Dostoyevsky is a master at exploring human psychology through his works and this story was no different, Alexei's unshakeable belief that through willpower and determination he can control his destiny and win at roulette was certainly a fascinating glimpse into the head of someone in the grip of a gambling obsession.
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