Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - Crime and Punishment

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Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

25 reviews

scharah's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

3.5

I’m surprised at how much I appreciated this book. It’s definitely worth getting through, I think. A word of advice - this book, while about a specific crime and a specific punishment, it is really about “crime” and “punishment” as ideas and realities more broadly, so when he goes off and talks about all these different characters and it takes chapters and chapters to move along with Raskolnikov’s story, recognize that those stories are as important to the point and idea of the book as our main character, even if it seems that that particular side plot wasn’t necessary. I’m really glad I read it!

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probablytoolate's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
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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thomasina's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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violetaalseide's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.75

Mi crimen fue tener curiosidad y mi castigo leerme este tocho.

¿Una de las mejores novelas de la historia? Sin duda. ¿Qué ha sido un mareo? Lo ha sido.

Conocemos a Raskólnikov, un joven que, debido a su extrema pobreza y su orgullo, se vio obligado a dejar sus estudios de Derecho, empeñar sus pocos bienes y malvivir en la cochambre. La noticia que de su hermana Dunia se ha prometido sin amor con un hombre adinerado (más buscando el bien de la familia que el suyo propio) hace que finalmente Rakólnikov se decida a matar a una usurera para robarle. Idea un plan sin fisuras, pero su mala salud, tanto física como mental, y el terror a ser descubiertos le empezarán a jugar malas pasadas.

Catalogada generalmente como novela psicológica, filosófica e incluso policíaca, cumple bastante bien con estas definiciones. Dostoyevski hace constantes análisis sobre el bien y el mal, la naturaleza humana y la posibilidad de redención, a la vez que sus personajes juegan continuamente al gato y al ratón, con la verdad rozándoles las narices, pero sin encontrar prueba materiales o sin querer afrontar la verdad.

Yo añadiría que es una novela de gestiones. Jamás vi a tanta gente ir de tantos lados sin parar para hacer una cosa, cambiar de idea e ir a hacer otra y pensarlo mejor más tarde. Eso y miles de personajes, todos muy rusos, con sus nombres de rusos, donde a cada uno se lo llama como mínimo de tres formas distintas, y el hecho de que sea una novela de entregas y se cobrase al peso o por palabra escrita... pues no la hacen precisamente una lectura ligera.

Podríamos extraer interesantes conclusiones, como la necesidad del arrepentimiento sincero y el trabajo duro para conseguir la redención, la arrogancia como el peor de los vicios o la insignificancia del ser humano. Yo me quedo con que, si vas a asesinar, no te duermas.

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toffishay's review against another edition

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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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