Reviews

Crime and Punishment: A New Translation by Fyodor Dostoevsky

kdawn999's review against another edition

4.0

I had been a bit resistant to reading this work for some time out of fear it couldn’t possibly hold up to modern moral nuance, not to mention Russian lit usually demands supplemental historical research to understand plot events. However, I can say that this book surprised me by bucking those expectations. This is more of a character driven than a plot driven book, and I was surprised by how little of Russian history a reader actually needs to follow everything. As for the moral dilemma central to the novel, I appreciate how the turns of the plot avoided an easy understanding of the main character’s motives or lack thereof. I also appreciate the question of intellect verses conscience—that the narrator could try to justify a crime intellectually and still be punished with an innate sense of failure—whether than stems from a religious source or a simple self-hatred that existed from the beginning. This book works hard to not be political. I also was relieved to find the women in the book presented as full human beings whom the author doesn’t go out of his way to torture or debase. If the main character is less than compelling (and he is) he’s surrounded by a fascinating cast of men and women, and I liked reading their confrontations.

storeytale's review against another edition

3.5

 Intense interior world of a murderer.

charmz75's review against another edition

reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

frrittzz's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.5

marlisenicole's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

3.0

b0nk's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

2.0

nannalunarscribe's review against another edition

dark 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

4.25

dmchesher's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

amat_malak's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

There were times i read 70 pages in a go and times where i didn't touch the book for days. Similar to how Raskolnikov went in and out of his delirium. What's there to say about this book that hasn't been said already? 

An insight into the mind of an intellectual criminal who idolises Napolean, Rodya was as irritating and as whiny as he was endearing to me. I wonder if I'll read a character like him again, or do I even want to? His biggest flaw was that he could intellectualise his crime, but not moralise it. He wasn't strong enough to see through his own philosophy. 

The rest of the characters were really well done. Especially Razumikhin. Sonya was a little too perfect, but she needed to be that to get the ending that the devout Dostoevsky wanted. The epilogue was realistic, though a little rushed compared to the rest of the novel. 

I will be thinking about this one for a long long time. 

_cthulhu's review against another edition

5.0

A really good book. Keeps your mind active and makes you over-think a lot of decisions. The characters are really nicely done, they are all well defined, their actions are motivated and everything feels natural.