Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

30 reviews

artemy_se's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

And what shows that I am utterly a louse,’ [...] ‘is that I am perhaps viler and more loathsome than the louse I killed, and I felt beforehand that I should tell myself so after killing her. 

As soon as I started reading this story, I knew I was gonna love it. The writing was masterful in my eyes and never made me bored even though the story was dragging. The changes of point of view were a choice that was for the most part a success. The characters are so realistic and I was immediately moved by the empathy pouring from every page, which is refreshing. 

This book made me remember why I LOVE reading classics because you can analyse every page and to this day, it's so accessible and doesn't come off as pretentious in any way.

Unfortunately I wanted to love this book more, but I was definitely taken aback from the writing of the female characters, the portrayal of the prisoners, the love story that I hated but more importantly I was disappointed by the lack of development from main character even though all the self awareness that he has. The choices for the ending were kind of disappointing for me...

Even then, this is a masterful piece of work that I loved reading and definitely made me yearn to read another work from this Dostoevsky soon!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Murder, Death, Animal cruelty, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Fatphobia, Child abuse, Sexism, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Antisemitism and Rape

bilbili's review against another edition

dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicide, and Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexism, and Pedophilia

Minor: Antisemitism, Racial slurs, and Domestic abuse

cherryfreckle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Grief, Animal death, Murder, Suicide, Classism, Slavery, Violence, Confinement, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Body shaming and Gun violence

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

benteasm's review

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Suicide, Murder, Animal cruelty, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Mental illness, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Antisemitism

taqi_hamoda's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

If you think that you are a morally driven person, I recommend you read this novel. It showcases how difficult and convoluted life can be. It left me speechless, questioning who am I as a person.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Murder, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Blood, Death of parent, and Violence

nereanpi's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Child abuse

maddalenacesco's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

impossible to be disappointed with this book. there's a crime and there's a punishment. what else could you be possibly expecting???

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Blood, Alcohol, Misogyny, and Suicidal thoughts

klimatyczny_bluszcz's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

That was a piece of great literature. Glad that I have finally read it! 
I was so invested and amazed while reading. Loved how Dostoyevski layered this novel and created such psychologically complex characters. I have no idea what else to write about a literary masterpiece that so many people write and talk about. It was just a greatly good book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Murder, Suicide, and Death

Moderate: Deportation, Domestic abuse, Rape, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

toffishay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

What a meaty book. I am really in awe of how Dostoyevsky can maintain tension in a 560 page book! It is interesting how the structure of a book can really make or break it. If you are intimidated by the length, I would say take your time and let yourself enjoy it instead of feeling like you need to power through. I think that it was a smart choice to break the book into 6 parts, each of which have chapters, so you have natural breaks that serve the reading experience and the story. One drawback could be that because the book is so long, the back and forth that Raskolnikov goes through in his head can feel a little repetitive at times. But overall, I think it works well for establishing how conflicted he is as a character and how out of control he truly is as well. 

 Raskolnikov's descent is described in such a gripping way and although it is certainly commentary on the times that Dostoyevsky was writing in, I saw a lot of parallels to today. Raskolnikov is an angry young man who thinks he's so much better than everyone else and so much smarter. He thinks that he has a right to his crime and to the purpose that he thinks it will give him. He is living in a world of desolation and personal despair and lashes out at everyone around him. I couldn't help but think that with Raskolnikov's disdain for human life and desire to be better than those around him, that he would have been a mass shooter if he lived today. Seeking that notoriety and committing horrible acts in the process. 

There is also very well-written commentary about relationships between men and women. There are women trapped in horrible relationships with men who continue to treat them badly and bring them low. (Katerina) Women are pushed into making difficult choices, that honestly aren't even choices, as a result of their poverty and their love of their families (Sofya). Women do everything they can to support the men in their lives and are given little to nothing in return (Dunya and Pulkheria). And all of the women in the novel are at the whim and will of men, but the novel is extremely sympathetic to them and is, primarily, on their side.

Vanity and pride are themes that are shown through many of the characters. Vanity is a driver of Raskolnikov's crime. It drives Katerina to embarrass herself publicly, putting herself in a worse physical and financial situation at every turn. Porfriy, the inspector, is driven by pride, at least in part, to find the perpetrator of the titular crime. 

I was surprised by how much love and hope were themes of the book. It definitely addressed crime and punishment, depravity and isolation. But there are instances where people are saved by the love of those around them. Like, I closed the book and felt a little like there is hope even when you are at your lowest. That it is never too late to look yourself honestly in the face and commit to change. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Death, Sexism, Misogyny, Murder, Classism, Alcoholism, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Confinement, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Xenophobia, Gore, War, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Antisemitism, Pedophilia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, and Infidelity

teatree33's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This book is certainly something else. Dostoevsky's way of writing while ever long and often rambling is truly some of the most touching writing I've read in a long time. The philosophical reflections against humanity and the morals throughout the novel made the book increasingly intriguing and thought provoking especially when this is all tied to good old Raskolnikov perspective whose mind fell into denial and delusion regarding his crime.  
Additionally, Dostoevsky's depiction of the horse nightmare, iykyk, was written so undeniably well that I struggled through almost that entire passage as if I was dreaming such a nightmare. He did this so well I was cringing so badly.
There are so many things I can say about this novel but I will spare you and simply say this.
It was sooooooo good!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse