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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
if you love dostoevsky and can’t handle a negative review, then skip this one, pal
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What the hell did I just read……
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Murder
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Comme tous les Dostoievski, il ne se passe quasi rien les premiers 75% du livre, et tout se met en place dans le dernier chapitre
Long à finir mais il m'a bien plu, notamment l'évolution du prince
Long à finir mais il m'a bien plu, notamment l'évolution du prince
(3.5 stars)
I really am surprised at this book... there is so much beauty in the writing, but the story runs around in circles. What made this book so intriguing was the possibility that Myshkin (the protagonist) could have been merely called an idiot, merely for his innocence and candor. What was ultimately so frustrating about this book was that Myshkin did, indeed, end up acting like an idiot.
Part 1 and Part 2 were easily the best parts. Dostoevsky deftly sets up the premise and the characters, and we quickly get a sense for the motivation for each character. There are some small arcs that are already forming, and some seem to come to a satisfying conclusion.
However, from Part 3 onward, the sense of character development seems either stifled, as a character seems never to change, or sudden, as a character makes a change that seems neither "in character" or sensible even to their own motives. In addition, the main conflict which is, essentially, a love triangle, begins to become tiresome.
As for the ending, I was unfortunately spoiled because of a character list I was looking at to keep track of all of the characters. Even so, the ending was not... satisfying to me, at least not like the ending to The Brothers Karamazov. There was no catharsis for me, no sense that something had really happened. All of it was telegraphed in Part 2; not with fine detail, but with the whole general ending in mind.
I think there are lovely parts, especially the briefly mentioned "beauty will save the world" quote. My only frustration is that, while there were beautiful moments, Dostoevsky didn't stay and let the reader hear the long, winded, chapters on chapters of "beauty will save the world". Almost certainly it was a choice, but I wanted more of the beauty and less of the... love triangle.
All this is to say that I think The Idiot is a pleasant enough read, but it doesn't hold a candle to Dostoevsky's other works that I've read. Maybe that's an unfair judgement, and maybe it's unfair to compare, but I can't help but do so.
I really am surprised at this book... there is so much beauty in the writing, but the story runs around in circles. What made this book so intriguing was the possibility that Myshkin (the protagonist) could have been merely called an idiot, merely for his innocence and candor. What was ultimately so frustrating about this book was that Myshkin did, indeed, end up acting like an idiot.
Part 1 and Part 2 were easily the best parts. Dostoevsky deftly sets up the premise and the characters, and we quickly get a sense for the motivation for each character. There are some small arcs that are already forming, and some seem to come to a satisfying conclusion.
However, from Part 3 onward, the sense of character development seems either stifled, as a character seems never to change, or sudden, as a character makes a change that seems neither "in character" or sensible even to their own motives. In addition, the main conflict which is, essentially, a love triangle, begins to become tiresome.
As for the ending, I was unfortunately spoiled because of a character list I was looking at to keep track of all of the characters. Even so, the ending was not... satisfying to me, at least not like the ending to The Brothers Karamazov. There was no catharsis for me, no sense that something had really happened. All of it was telegraphed in Part 2; not with fine detail, but with the whole general ending in mind.
I think there are lovely parts, especially the briefly mentioned "beauty will save the world" quote. My only frustration is that, while there were beautiful moments, Dostoevsky didn't stay and let the reader hear the long, winded, chapters on chapters of "beauty will save the world". Almost certainly it was a choice, but I wanted more of the beauty and less of the... love triangle.
All this is to say that I think The Idiot is a pleasant enough read, but it doesn't hold a candle to Dostoevsky's other works that I've read. Maybe that's an unfair judgement, and maybe it's unfair to compare, but I can't help but do so.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Jako mi se svidio roman, puno više nego kad sam ga prvi put čitala.
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes