Reviews

Герой нашего времени by Mikhail Lermontov

colorfulleo92's review against another edition

3.0

This was a very interesting classic to read but I didn't really love it. I'm glad that I've read it though.. I don't have to like every character or even the main character in a book to enjoy it but something about just didn't work for me.

alishajuma's review against another edition

2.0

This novel is a collection of travelling notes that explore the complexities of masculinity and the societal pressures placed on men to conform to a particular ideal of strength, stoicism, and dominance. The behaviours displayed by the protagonist Pechorin, such as emotional detachment, manipulation of others, and a pursuit of power reflects the the limitations and harms of traditional gender norms. The book suggested that it’s good to be toxically masculine on the outside but not good inside the house in civilised settings. This dual expectation seems to have a detrimental effect on Pechorin’s ability to form meaningful relationships. The women in the novel (mainly Princess Mary and Vera) are relegated to passive roles, rather than fully realised individuals with agency; the underlying message I got perpetuated that actions of men are paramount, while women exist primarily in relation to men.

When reading this book, I did not feel like Lermontov was criticising gender norms, but was more so justifying the behaviour of men that act in this way. The novel could be seen as depicting the consequences of these societal expectations on the psyche of men. From this perspective, Lermontov might not have intended to justify Pechorin's actions, but rather to highlight how societal pressures and rigid gender roles can lead to destructive behaviours. Looking at the intersection of personal agency and societal expectations caused you to reflect upon the choices you make and the influences that shape you.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, but it wasn’t a particularly enjoyable read. The kidnapping and objectification of women and the disjointed story telling made me excited for it to end. However, I think if i re-read this book I would enjoy it much more now I know what the book is trying to explore. So this is a preliminary rating until I read this again.

rsvp2sanjay's review against another edition

5.0

Amazing character study. Interesting order of chapters -- Chapters 1 and 2 occur at a time after Chapters 3-5. Women are not portrayed in a flattering manner but that says more about the character of Pechorin than anything else. An absolute page-turner.

loelam's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

2.5

hades9stages's review against another edition

3.0

not my sort of thing right now. maybe i’ll come back to it in the future though so i can read and appreciate it properly when i’m in the right mood.

harryreadbook's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective medium-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

4.25

This was such an interesting book; it definitely belongs with the other Russian classics. I really loved the writing, and, just like in dead souls, I got that strange feeling that comes when some of my own thoughts were already written down 200 years ago. The book has a very interesting structure with a narrator detailing his trip through the Caucasus and hearing stories from a travel companion for the first 2 short stories. Then the following 3 stories are taken from the journal of the subject of first stories. I didn't love this because I had really gotten into the book in the first part, and it took me a while to get as invested in the journal section. However, this structure definitely works for the books goals as we get to see a portrait of a man and then his thoughts and feelings which somewhat explain his odd behavior. The main character was a very peculiar nihilist who was detached from the world due to in part his own intelligence which keeps him from being a part of society and feeling equal to his peers. The part that sticks with me the most is his emotional outburst to Mary explaining his entire motives for his odd behavior followed just a few lines later celebrating the fact that it made her cry and his plan was working. That just highlights the importance of the journal where we can choose how much faith we put into his actions and how much into his words.

keatsratbaby's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny lighthearted reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

final chapter brilliant; the rest is unconvincing on the philosophical level which is a shame because it makes that so central. lermontov obviously a (folkloric when narrative) poet first and foremost - beautiful prose but focus on the adventure leaves some characters, events, settings undeveloped. adventures are a lot of fun though.

poppyparkes's review against another edition

4.0

“Love, like fire, goes out without fuel.”

weyburn13's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

paperkit's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0