Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Following the return of Prince Myshkin to Russian society, the book pitches themes of morality, inherent sin and the role of punishment within society. The ideal world promised, meets the reality of the corrupt world lived. The collision is devastating.
Not as good as his other novels, it's still a fine piece of writing that holds complex ideas with a graceful, skillful hand.
A christ-like figure meets the mirror of himself. Not an antichrist, but a man for whom the virtues lie twisted, malformed, warped within him.
And two loves wrestle in the heart of our poor Knight Myshkin. One drive to save those in peril and one the drive to join with another towards happiness. The selfless love and the self that desires to love.
I'd sooner you read Crime and Punishment. But if you find this book, don't dismiss it. Keep it until after his other works are read. And then, take a train journey. Start it there and carry it on while staying with friends in a city you visited as a child. It'll ring out beautifully.
challenging
reflective
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
challenging
reflective
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
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found myself fluctuating between several emotions while reading this book. It was my first attempt at Russian classic literature and came out the other side feeling rather cold. I found the conversations between the characters far too garbled and enigmatic at times and always felt that I was missing something. The plot itself was rather thin and it was hard to get any sympathy for any of the characters from that. For a tome this long I expected more. Be that as it may I think I will look a bit further into Dostoevsky at a later date. At times I read his prose veraciously so that was a good sign.
Spoiler
Myshkin: I'm an Idiot!Aglaya: Yes you are. Look how I'm laughing at you! By the way, I will never marry you.
Nastasya: I'm a fallen woman and this man understands me. Take me away, Myshkin!
Myshkin: Okay.
Nastasya: I do not deserve you! Therefore I will go back to my homicidal ex-boyfriend.
Aglaya: Are you going to propose to me or not?!
Myshkin: Okay.
Aglaya: Psych, just kidding! Hahaha! I hate you. But Nastasya loves you, or she wouldn't torture you so.
Nastasya: No I decided that you and Aglaya shall marry.
Myshkin: Okay.
Aglaya: Break my mom's expensive-ass vase. She'll cry.
Myshkin: *breaks the vase*
Aglaya: I randomly decided that I do love you, so I'm gonna go and tell that ho that she can't have you.
Nastasya: I can have him anytime I want.
Myshkin: Okay.
Aglaya: *runs away*
Homicidal ex-boyfriend: I got a knife. *dramatic music*
This book reminds me a lot of Brothers Karamazov, where Rogozhin is Dmitri, Myshkin is Ivan/Alyosha (rolled into one), Nastasya is Grushenka, and Aglaya is Katerina. Without the murder mystery though The Idiot slightly falls behind in the entertainment factor. There is a lot of philosophy though out and quite a bit of fainting. So get your coffee ready for the wordy parts.
challenging
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes