You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

4.31 AVERAGE


Top 5 books oat genuinely cried
challenging reflective slow-paced

Overrated don’t cancel me. I liked parts though. Could have been a few hundred pages shorter.
challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

BOOK NOTES:

Theodore - irresponsible father who had affairs and wanted inheritance of first rich wife. 

Dimitri - passionate and military man discipline 
Ivan - intellectual 
Alyosha - faith


Dimitri came to claim inheritance of mother - clash with father
They loved same Greshenka who loved someone else Apole
Dimitri engaged to Katarina who gave him money but he used it on a trip with Greshenka and so needed to repay Kat before eloping with Greshenka. So he needed the inheritance money 
Katarina has a pride and feared society image and so fought with Greshenka over Dimitri 
Ivan and Katarina were in love but too proud to act on it and Dimitri better match 
Ivan: how can god exist when evil and suffering in world; baby shot, rich man killed boy for harming a dog 
Grand inquisitor poem - Christ misunderstood human nature and burden of freedom without security 

Theodore had a son with a mute girl and he was illegitimate and so raised as a servant in the house and never considered a son. He developed a dark personality and listened to Ivan’s philosophy of there being no concept of evil in a world without god. So there is no good evil moral as soul is not immortal. 
Everything is forgiven in a world without God

Dimitri hit man in bar so Kat gave money to Alyosha to give man 
The man’s son bit Alyosha hand - grudge is passed on to next gen 
Man refused money for his pride in front of son 

Zoshima death no miracle took place after

Dimitri hurts servant and spares father - thought he gave money to Greshenka to be lover
Greshenka met ex and Dimitri met them, ex insulted Dimitri and she disliked ex and loved Dimitri 

Police charges Dimitri with death of Theodore - he had intended it many times and had motives

Illiyusha was bonding with a friend he fought with through forgiveness but doctor announced he would soon die 

Servant bastard killed Theodore - Ivan’s ideology rationalised it 

At Dimitri trial - Ivan felt guilty and declared it but he was disregarded and thought crazy 
Kat defended but then showed Dimitri intentions to kill Theodore as letter 

Servant child Smyerdikov hanged himself - but Dimitri accepted responsibility and wanted to serve sentence to become changed man 
 
Kat took care of Ivan illness and also arranged for Dimitri and Greshenka to go to America to start their life - Kat and Dim forgave each other 

Illyusha died and Alyosha spread word of love, memories to the kid friends 



OVERALL MESSAGES

Money and women create conflict in the lives of men 
Image in society affects actions 
How can god exist when there is suffering 
Kat caring for Dimitri just to hold on to reputation 
Pride can affect our actions and behaviour. Children and their presence can brim this pride as values need to be passed on 
love and forgiveness so important in human life 
Absence of expected miracles can shatter faith 
Ideologies can be powerful in motivating actions 
Resentment and hatred can brew when there is lack of acknowledgment 
Theodore saw servant child as a representation of his guilt and improper and that representation was neglected for his peace but it ended up killing him 

Kat broke shackles of reputation and justice served against man who had hurt her so much. She was done defending him for her reputation 

Love and forgiveness central themes 

Though faith was tested, Alyosha preached teaching of his teacher to others where they applied

The book presents atheist has having no moral compass and theists as being compassionate. 

Morality vs Belief vs Love vs Forgiveness 

Everyone’s actions are painted with intention 






challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-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
emotional reflective medium-paced

KOCHAM

not my style, hard to get into, a lot of endless personal thoughts of the narrative voice peppered into the narration causing confusion. 
challenging dark inspiring slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes