Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Karamazov Brothers by Fyodor Dostoevsky

4 reviews

woweewhoa's review against another edition

challenging funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Alcoholism, Ableism, Alcohol, Misogyny, and Murder

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

samanthaleereads's review against another edition

challenging funny tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Classism, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Antisemitism and Suicide

Minor: Medical content

startjpw23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.5

This book is about the three Karamazov brothers, their father, and people they interact with. One of the other characters might be a fourth brother. That is never definitively revealed. The book is set around the year 1860 in Russia. There are a couple of women who the two oldest brothers have, or desire to have, romantic relationships with. Their father also desires a romantic relationship with one of the women. Jealously between the father, and Dimitri, the oldest brother about the woman, is a big driver of the story. Another driver of the story is political, religious, and social changes taking place in Russia at that time. Around halfway through the book, there is a leadup to a crime. At this point, and the aftermath of the crime, I found the book a page turner. Toward the end, the story dragged. The book is a very long book. The version I read was 845 pages long. And the pages were very densely packed with words. With the exception of the youngest brother, Alyosha, I didn't find any of the main characters particularly likable. Because of this, I really didn't care that much about what happened to them. The book was beautifully written and translated. A lot of words were used for not all that much happening. I did enjoy book. I am glad I read it. Reading it didn't make me want to read any other classic Russian books any time soon. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Sexism, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Terminal illness, and Death of parent