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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
funny
tense
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
slow-paced
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Existentialism again, but how a man can be such fool and do such harm to himself.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Mind you, this is my first impression of Dostoyevsky.
The fact that this book is a satire and meant to mock the narrator is not lost on me. The entire time that I was reading and thinking, "man, this guy sucks. I hate this guy," I was aware that was the author's intent, but it doesn't make the reading experience better. The first half of this book is pseudo-philosophical ramblings that go on for far too long, and by the time the plot begins, I was just waiting for the book to end.
The narrator is a deeply unpleasant man. He's a loser, a sigma male, whatever you want to call him--the type of guy who thinks he's smarter and better than everyone else, yet also craves the approval of those he considers beneath him. He spends the first ponderous half of the book justifying his miserable outlook on life, then we watch him destroy his life very quickly by alienating his former college pals and a potential love interest. Liza is a prostitute that he sees, then lectures about how she's throwing her life away, and then he develops a savior complex. I strongly disliked how she was written even when looking past the lens of the narrator's flawed views about women, since Dostoyevsky himself affords her very little agency and just makes her run lovestruck after a man who disrespected her.
I think this book would work better if the narrator's observations on society were woven into the plot itself, so we could see his worldview coloring his actions in real time, watch him justifying his own actions even as they ruin his life. That would strengthen the novel's currently broken flow and bring the more humorous moments to the fore.
The fact that this book is a satire and meant to mock the narrator is not lost on me. The entire time that I was reading and thinking, "man, this guy sucks. I hate this guy," I was aware that was the author's intent, but it doesn't make the reading experience better. The first half of this book is pseudo-philosophical ramblings that go on for far too long, and by the time the plot begins, I was just waiting for the book to end.
The narrator is a deeply unpleasant man. He's a loser, a sigma male, whatever you want to call him--the type of guy who thinks he's smarter and better than everyone else, yet also craves the approval of those he considers beneath him. He spends the first ponderous half of the book justifying his miserable outlook on life, then we watch him destroy his life very quickly by alienating his former college pals and a potential love interest. Liza is a prostitute that he sees, then lectures about how she's throwing her life away, and then he develops a savior complex. I strongly disliked how she was written even when looking past the lens of the narrator's flawed views about women, since Dostoyevsky himself affords her very little agency and just makes her run lovestruck after a man who disrespected her.
I think this book would work better if the narrator's observations on society were woven into the plot itself, so we could see his worldview coloring his actions in real time, watch him justifying his own actions even as they ruin his life. That would strengthen the novel's currently broken flow and bring the more humorous moments to the fore.
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
“We are forever hammering nails into our own coffins and then spend the rest of our lives complaining about the noise.”
Part 1 was rather dense with ramblings and ranting from The Underground Man. In his 40s, we get his philosophical views about life and mankind. TUM lives in isolation away from anyone and takes pride living in poverty. The chapter where he muses on war stuck me the most, has a Fortunate Son vibe. Rantings on the illusions of free will and freedom. Rationally, we all need to work to keep going, no choices but to be a slave to our employers.
Part 2 is easier to follow, TUM reflects on his social interactions when he was 24. Spends a great deal of time in his own head trying to figure out how to control his interactions. He has violent thoughts but never acts on them. The violence turns to thinking about getting pummeled by whomever is near by, it is like he doesn’t know how to feel. Dark set pieces, especially with Liza. It would be nice to know what happened to her.
A sad state to spend life in self alienation.
Part 1 was rather dense with ramblings and ranting from The Underground Man. In his 40s, we get his philosophical views about life and mankind. TUM lives in isolation away from anyone and takes pride living in poverty. The chapter where he muses on war stuck me the most, has a Fortunate Son vibe. Rantings on the illusions of free will and freedom. Rationally, we all need to work to keep going, no choices but to be a slave to our employers.
Part 2 is easier to follow, TUM reflects on his social interactions when he was 24. Spends a great deal of time in his own head trying to figure out how to control his interactions. He has violent thoughts but never acts on them. The violence turns to thinking about getting pummeled by whomever is near by, it is like he doesn’t know how to feel. Dark set pieces, especially with Liza. It would be nice to know what happened to her.
A sad state to spend life in self alienation.