Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

9 reviews

gwenswoons's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This book is just so completely magnificent - funny, wild, unusual at every turn and in every detail. I made it through my college Russian major, somehow, without reading any Dostoevsky, and this was such a joy this winter. It took up 4 months(!!) of my life, and made me laugh out loud more than almost any book I can remember. So complex, strange, and peculiarly Russian in the best way. The translation (by Pevear and Volokhonsky) is so wonderfully idiomatic and Russian-feeling in cadence, diction, atmosphere, structure. I just loved loved loved.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Death, Classism, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gore, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Violence, and Xenophobia

mangopassion555's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Physical abuse, Grief, Suicide, Child abuse, Violence, Abandonment, and Antisemitism

ayphyx's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Pregnancy, Violence, Murder, Death of parent, Antisemitism, Abandonment, and Child abuse

Minor: Cursing

toffishay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

A momentous book! I don't know when I'll get around to reading this again because it's a monster of a book, but I want to read it again and again. The exploration of the this family and the turmoil and triumphs of the brothers was more than I ever could have hoped for. It's detailed and heartbreaking; I was laughing out loud on second and then, by the next chapter, I was on the verge of tears.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, Classism, Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Suicide, Violence, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and Blood

Minor: Alcohol, Confinement, Grief, Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Racism

seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Bullying, Child death, Death of parent, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Grief, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death, Classism, Murder, Alcohol, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Gun violence and Child abuse

Minor: War

cowardlyteaman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

This was definitely worth the while, even if it took me a long while.

It's very slow paced, and sometimes you might think to yourself «Okay, but how does this affect the plot.» Fair point, definitely, but to me personally, such scenes meant everything in the parallel situations of these characters and for Dostoyevsky to explore some of his philosophy, which I think he has the right to with such reflections. Also, as my dad so rightfully reminded me, this book was written in a period where people had the time to read. Not meaning that they weren't as busy as we are now, but simply that their attention spans had not been abused such as ours have due to various categories of modern entertainment.
There is no shame in this, but it's important to note that if you're wanting to read this. I, too, found it boring at times, because no, I genuinely could not care less about Father Zosima.

And on the note of characters I couldn't care less about, we have Alyosha. Yes, I see Dostoyevsky praising and loving him, but I found him pretty whiny, actually. He was about as relevant as an emotional support animal, to be quite honest. That is until the epilogue, where I appreciated his part of the whole journey.

My favourite character was Mitya, though Ivan stands as a close second, and I'm not ashamed to admit that it is because I found them sexy. Not only because I found them sexy, but it was undeniably a factor in there somewhere, and I am young and gay, so who can blame me. Still, they were both fantastically written characters, both with depth and interesting plot lines.

Yes, my review has been mostly about the characters and what I thought of them, but they are the plot after all. However, I want to add finally that I noticed how the synopsis of the book leads with the murder of Fyodor Pavlovich, when that doesn't «come up» until a good... 500 pages in? A bit odd, but I suppose that was what brought the entire piece to a conclusion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Bullying, Suicide, Child death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Racism, Addiction, Antisemitism, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Racial slurs

gracchian's review against another edition

dark inspiring tense slow-paced

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

5.0

The Brothers Karamazov is the classic; it needs no explanation. Within it, Dostoevsky applies the full might of his messianic, Christian, psychological brilliance at the peak of his ability. This is the book that prompted legions of readers to approach him in life and exclaim how deeply his work moved them, how much the one book changed them. Eastern and Catholic priests alike will often find this book creeping upon their shelves, though even atheists tend to celebrate the achievements contained within all the same. It has been said that this book contains the strongest arguments both on behalf and against Christianity. I would add that it contains the strongest arguments against and for virtue as an end pursuit in itself, embodied by the empowering, inspiring 'milksop' Alyosha Karamazov.

You will become well-acquainted with the cast of characters imagined by Dostoevsky. You will hate almost all of them, but this hate will be followed by pity, and, in the end, you will rest somewhere in the nest Dostoevsky has built for you—a space above the dizzying drama of the tragedy, wherein you hold no grudges, pity all, and wish only to see that love expressed by all. You will be betrayed and wronged by the characters in this book, and you will forgive them even as they betray you. You will learn what it is that Dostoevsky is trying to portray in Alyosha, or in the monastic Zossima, and you'll be offered a seat at their divinely virtuous table. The book truly brings you into it, and becomes a lived transformation for the reader who attentively follows it—and, it must be said, it is very difficult indeed to not attentively follow Karamazov when it gets going.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Child death

There is not an ounce of violence glorified in this book. Though there are infinitely heavy subjects brought to the reader's attention, Dostoevsky's message is clear: the one salvation is to love one another, to forgive one another even when one has been wronged, and to aspire to some higher purpose beyond oneself.

imrath's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Child death, Terminal illness, Grief, Infidelity, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Murder, Animal death, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

emilyplun's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, Murder, Terminal illness, Blood, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Classism, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Ableism, Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Religious bigotry