madelines_library 's review for:

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

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This is probably my favorite book of all time, meaning it is difficult for me to really elaborate on how worth-while of a read it is. It is wonderful, it is thoughtful, it is dark, it is demented, but by the end the reader should find themself inspired and hopeful for the future. In large part, it is a book about hope and coping with bleak and grim realities (while it was written, Dostoyevsky's son died, so you can see him grappling with grief and "unjust" loss during the work), and each character must find how they will best navigate life. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide

Minor: Ableism, Rape, Antisemitism

This book is great, but there are times in which you may find yourself struggling to get through passages regarding ableism and rape, as well as a section that was pretty antisemitic (and if you're particularly sensitive to the mistreatment of Poles, that is in here too). Also, a couple of major plot points/character development archs center around s*icide and plans around that for the future. Something to keep in mind when beginning the book.