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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
funny
reflective
don't do gambling, kids. there're cheaper addictions. like reading Dostoyevsky.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't know whether it's the case of 'lost in translation', but this is a bit torturing in Indonesian. I haven't read it in English, so it might've been a different experience (though I'm not sure).
reflective
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
4/5
In Medias Res, Obsession, Arrogance, Existentialism
“Now she would suddenly start to draw me to her; a trusting smile wandered across her face; and then suddenly she would push me away and once again take to peering at me with a darkened look.”
I loved the dramatization of reality under the guise of gambling, as well as the intricacy of emotional (seesawing) characters. The way Dostoyevsky interlaces existentialist subtext under Polina’s obsessive yet fatuous love of Alexei and Mr. Astely is excellent.
In Medias Res, Obsession, Arrogance, Existentialism
“Now she would suddenly start to draw me to her; a trusting smile wandered across her face; and then suddenly she would push me away and once again take to peering at me with a darkened look.”
I loved the dramatization of reality under the guise of gambling, as well as the intricacy of emotional (seesawing) characters. The way Dostoyevsky interlaces existentialist subtext under Polina’s obsessive yet fatuous love of Alexei and Mr. Astely is excellent.
"But then what is the point of deceiving oneself? The most futile and wasteful pastime!"
"Let it be so; I am talking for the sake of a clear conscience. But here is what I will remark: that all the time of late I have found it somehow dreadfully repellent to measure my actions and thoughts against any moral standard whatsoever. Something else has been governing me."
"Man is a by nature a despot and likes being a torturer."
"But reason alone in such matters is, after all, insufficient."
"Certain things happened to me - almost wondrous, at least I still look upon them like that, although from another point of view, and especially judging by the whirl in which I was then spinning, perhaps they were just not entirely ordinary. But most wondrous of all for me is the way I myself responded to all those events. I still do not understand myself! And it all flew by like a dream - even my passion, and it was a strong and sincere one after all, but...where has it gone now? True: from time to time now it does flash through my head: Did I go out of my mind back then, and have I been in a madhouse somewhere all this time, and perhaps, I'm still there now - so I imagined it all, and am still only imagining."
"It still seems to me at times that I am still spinning in the same whirlwind and at any moment that storm will rush by again, will catch me in passing with its wing, and again I shall slip out of order and any sense of proportion and start spinning, spinning, spinning..."
"Perhaps, having gone through so many sensations, one's soul is not sated, but only inflamed by them, and demands more sensations, more and more powerfully too, up until final exhaustion."
"What am I now? Zéro! What might I be tomorrow? Tomorrow I might rise from the dead and begin to live once more! I might find the man within myself, while he is not yet lost!"
"Let it be so; I am talking for the sake of a clear conscience. But here is what I will remark: that all the time of late I have found it somehow dreadfully repellent to measure my actions and thoughts against any moral standard whatsoever. Something else has been governing me."
"Man is a by nature a despot and likes being a torturer."
"But reason alone in such matters is, after all, insufficient."
"Certain things happened to me - almost wondrous, at least I still look upon them like that, although from another point of view, and especially judging by the whirl in which I was then spinning, perhaps they were just not entirely ordinary. But most wondrous of all for me is the way I myself responded to all those events. I still do not understand myself! And it all flew by like a dream - even my passion, and it was a strong and sincere one after all, but...where has it gone now? True: from time to time now it does flash through my head: Did I go out of my mind back then, and have I been in a madhouse somewhere all this time, and perhaps, I'm still there now - so I imagined it all, and am still only imagining."
"It still seems to me at times that I am still spinning in the same whirlwind and at any moment that storm will rush by again, will catch me in passing with its wing, and again I shall slip out of order and any sense of proportion and start spinning, spinning, spinning..."
"Perhaps, having gone through so many sensations, one's soul is not sated, but only inflamed by them, and demands more sensations, more and more powerfully too, up until final exhaustion."
"What am I now? Zéro! What might I be tomorrow? Tomorrow I might rise from the dead and begin to live once more! I might find the man within myself, while he is not yet lost!"
This book was written under time pressure due to Dostoyevsky's financial situation and the constraints imposed by his publisher. It transpires in the writing as the characters are more caricatural compared to other novels from this genial author. The similarity between the plot and Dostoyevsky's own life as a gambler is quite obvious. Also, the author speaks his mind quite directly through the voice of Alexis, the main character. This is more subtle in Crime and Punishment for exemple.
However, this short novel is still a good read and concentrate much of the Dostoyevskian themes: obsession, death, dementia, love-hate relationships, etc. It clearly announces his greatest work.
However, this short novel is still a good read and concentrate much of the Dostoyevskian themes: obsession, death, dementia, love-hate relationships, etc. It clearly announces his greatest work.
As personagens são estupidamente extravagantes e conseguem ser mais importantes para o plot do que o próprio jogo mas este, por sua vez, reflete perfeitamente a personalidade das personagens. Leitura rápida e fácil (apesar de ter demasiadas frases em francês) e muito divertida
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میان ما رابطهی عجیبی برقرار شده است که با توجه به نخوت و نفرتی که در رفتارش نسبت به همه آشکار است از بسیاری جهات برای من نامفهوم است. مثلا میداند که من دیوانهوار دوستش دارم و حتا اجازه میدهد که از این عشق سودایی برایش حرف بزنم. و البته هیچچیز بیش از همین آزاد گذاشتن من، که بیهیچ مانع یا ملاحظهای از عشق خود با او حرف بزنم، گواه نفرتش از من نیست.
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نوشتن از این کتاب مشهور واقعا سخته! داری چیزی رو می خونی که با خوندن دوباره ش کلی مفهوم جدید برات روشن میشه. داستایوسکی این رمان رو در شرایط خاصی که خودش هم به قمار اعتیاد داشته نوشته و منتقدان اون رو نوعی خودزندگینامه تلقی میکنند.
در مدح کتاب های داستایوفسکی همین بس که نیچه ی بزرگ گفته هر اونچه که از روانشناسی آموخته، نتیجه ی مطالعه ی آثار این نویسنده ست.
میان ما رابطهی عجیبی برقرار شده است که با توجه به نخوت و نفرتی که در رفتارش نسبت به همه آشکار است از بسیاری جهات برای من نامفهوم است. مثلا میداند که من دیوانهوار دوستش دارم و حتا اجازه میدهد که از این عشق سودایی برایش حرف بزنم. و البته هیچچیز بیش از همین آزاد گذاشتن من، که بیهیچ مانع یا ملاحظهای از عشق خود با او حرف بزنم، گواه نفرتش از من نیست.
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نوشتن از این کتاب مشهور واقعا سخته! داری چیزی رو می خونی که با خوندن دوباره ش کلی مفهوم جدید برات روشن میشه. داستایوسکی این رمان رو در شرایط خاصی که خودش هم به قمار اعتیاد داشته نوشته و منتقدان اون رو نوعی خودزندگینامه تلقی میکنند.
در مدح کتاب های داستایوفسکی همین بس که نیچه ی بزرگ گفته هر اونچه که از روانشناسی آموخته، نتیجه ی مطالعه ی آثار این نویسنده ست.