You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bit of a troubling ending. The people Myshkin touches seem worse off than before he met them, or are completely unaffected. Myshkin himself is worse off than before, traumatised by the events that occured—he is again the quissential "idiot." This seems completely anthetical to the Myshkin=Jesus analogy throughout the whole book. He saved nobody. Myshkin could change the lives of that poor girl and those children to the better in Switzerland with his noble kindness, but not these high-society adults of Russia. It kind of makes you lose your faith, much like the painting of The Body of Jesus in the Tomb that affected Dostoevsky so much. In that aspect, this book might be the exact same—a test of faith. One could imagine that if Myshkin could recover from idiocy once, he can recover again. Perhaps the ending of this story is only the beginning of that recovery, and not a fate that lasts forever.
This book was a lot harder than other books I've read by Dostoevsky. There is so much subtext and reading between the lines, and oftentimes the text itself tries to deceive you--omitting certain details to confuse and intruige the reader, speaking in vague terms and implications, both by the narrator and the characters. Some rules and traditions of social interaction go unspoken but are important to understand. The writing is obviously phenomenal, even if the plot is sometimes shoe-horned, like when Lebedev suddenly drops his wallet and kicks off the ending of old General Ivolgin, and Myshkin is always informed of these events at a later time by Lebedev or whoever, to ensure we stay updated on the drama.
This is generally a very absurd and funny book. So many ridiculous antics by silly characters. My favourite character, who wins by a landslide, is Lizaveta Prokofyevna Epanchin. What a down-to-earth, earnest, no-bullshit woman. Such a breath of fresh air among all the bullshit and lying the various characters engage in, that Myshkin is too nice to call out. Lizaveta has no such qualms. She was ready to slap Ippolit for his ridiculousness, and though she stopped for the goodness of humanity, I personally would have advised her only to beware of the dangers of beating consumptive people (in such close quarters, they might let out a wallop of spit that immediately shortens your lifespan, much to the chagrin of your fellow outlaws). Such a noble lady. She deserves peace and prosperity forevermore.
Great book.
This book was a lot harder than other books I've read by Dostoevsky. There is so much subtext and reading between the lines, and oftentimes the text itself tries to deceive you--omitting certain details to confuse and intruige the reader, speaking in vague terms and implications, both by the narrator and the characters. Some rules and traditions of social interaction go unspoken but are important to understand. The writing is obviously phenomenal, even if the plot is sometimes shoe-horned, like when Lebedev suddenly drops his wallet and kicks off the ending of old General Ivolgin, and Myshkin is always informed of these events at a later time by Lebedev or whoever, to ensure we stay updated on the drama.
This is generally a very absurd and funny book. So many ridiculous antics by silly characters. My favourite character, who wins by a landslide, is Lizaveta Prokofyevna Epanchin. What a down-to-earth, earnest, no-bullshit woman. Such a breath of fresh air among all the bullshit and lying the various characters engage in, that Myshkin is too nice to call out. Lizaveta has no such qualms. She was ready to slap Ippolit for his ridiculousness, and though she stopped for the goodness of humanity, I personally would have advised her only to beware of the dangers of beating consumptive people (in such close quarters, they might let out a wallop of spit that immediately shortens your lifespan, much to the chagrin of your fellow outlaws). Such a noble lady. She deserves peace and prosperity forevermore.
Great book.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Review of The Idiot
By: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Prince Myshkin has spent most of his life at a sanitarium in Switzerland due to illness and having epilepsy. He returns to his homeland in Petersburg, Russia where he finds himself caught between two and social politics of the Russian upper class.
Prince Myshkin is a memorable main character with his goodness, loving nature, and naivety. I doubt that Dostoevsky intended this, but his behavior and the way he speaks and interacts with others makes me believe he could be autistic. He has special interests that he is passionate about, the way he speaks, and his lack of understanding of social norms of the time. This also comes from living in a sanitarium most of his life. The constant use of the word “idiot” to describe frustrated me because he is highly intelligent, though he is naïve. The other characters couldn’t understand anymore than he could understand them. My feelings about the other characters like Aglaya, Hippolite and Gavril were complicated as I often disliked most of them, but at the same felt sorry for them. I found Myshkin’s journey fascinating and page turning and desperately wanted him to find someone that understood. The writing was of course amazing as I found myself easily immersed in this world. I wanted to know what would happen to Prince Myshkin and I was intrigued by these complicated characters.
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
EN: On September 2nd, I welcomed the one that dethroned "100 Years of Solitude" as my favorite book – "The Idiot" (1869), by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was a 1 month's trip that led me and @saramarmonteiro to 19th-cent.'s Russia and the depths of the human mind.
The book follows the kind, perceptive but naive Prince Myshkin as he arrives in St. Petersburg after a long stay in a Swiss sanitarium, for the treatment of "idiocy". From then on, we watch him navigate the facets that his homeland presents him – a tangle of emotions and subtleties that test his values and beliefs.
Coupled with discussions with Sara, I felt that the nuance of the Prince's journey made me question and materialize my worldview. It was everything I love in a book – a rollercoaster of emotions; a minefield of reflections; rich characters; a chance to (re)fall in love with life. The drawback was its dated language, for which the buddy read was also useful. In short, I felt this was an exquisite, complete piece – one I'll defend from this point on.
— Jo. 🐞🍀
–#–#–#–
PT: A 2 de Setembro, dei as boas-vindas àquele que destronou "100 Anos de Solidão" como livro preferido – "O Idiota" (1869), de Fiódor Dostoievski. Foi uma jornada de 1 mês que me levou a mim e à @saramarmonteiro à Rússia do séc. XIX e às profundezas da mente humana.
O livro segue o bondoso, perspicaz, mas ingénuo príncipe Míchkin mal este chega a São Petersburgo após uma longa estadia num sanatório suíço, para o tratamento da "idiotice". A partir daí, seguimo-lo na descoberta das facetas que a sua terra natal lhe apresenta – um emaranhado de emoções e subtilezas que testa os seus valores e crenças.
A par das discussões com a Sara, senti que as nuances da jornada do príncipe fizeram-me questionar e materializar a minha visão do mundo. Foi tudo o que adoro num livro – uma montanha-russa de emoções; um campo minado de reflexões; personagens ricas; uma oportunidade para me (re)apaixonar pela vida. O inconveniente foi a linguagem da época, para a qual a leitura conjunta foi também útil. Em suma, senti que esta é uma obra requintada e completa – que defenderei a partir de agora.
— Jo. 🐞🍀
The book follows the kind, perceptive but naive Prince Myshkin as he arrives in St. Petersburg after a long stay in a Swiss sanitarium, for the treatment of "idiocy". From then on, we watch him navigate the facets that his homeland presents him – a tangle of emotions and subtleties that test his values and beliefs.
Coupled with discussions with Sara, I felt that the nuance of the Prince's journey made me question and materialize my worldview. It was everything I love in a book – a rollercoaster of emotions; a minefield of reflections; rich characters; a chance to (re)fall in love with life. The drawback was its dated language, for which the buddy read was also useful. In short, I felt this was an exquisite, complete piece – one I'll defend from this point on.
— Jo. 🐞🍀
–#–#–#–
PT: A 2 de Setembro, dei as boas-vindas àquele que destronou "100 Anos de Solidão" como livro preferido – "O Idiota" (1869), de Fiódor Dostoievski. Foi uma jornada de 1 mês que me levou a mim e à @saramarmonteiro à Rússia do séc. XIX e às profundezas da mente humana.
O livro segue o bondoso, perspicaz, mas ingénuo príncipe Míchkin mal este chega a São Petersburgo após uma longa estadia num sanatório suíço, para o tratamento da "idiotice". A partir daí, seguimo-lo na descoberta das facetas que a sua terra natal lhe apresenta – um emaranhado de emoções e subtilezas que testa os seus valores e crenças.
A par das discussões com a Sara, senti que as nuances da jornada do príncipe fizeram-me questionar e materializar a minha visão do mundo. Foi tudo o que adoro num livro – uma montanha-russa de emoções; um campo minado de reflexões; personagens ricas; uma oportunidade para me (re)apaixonar pela vida. O inconveniente foi a linguagem da época, para a qual a leitura conjunta foi também útil. Em suma, senti que esta é uma obra requintada e completa – que defenderei a partir de agora.
— Jo. 🐞🍀
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes