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A review by gautamgopalk
The Brothers Karamazov (Bicentennial Edition): A Novel in Four Parts With Epilogue by Fyodor Dostoevsky
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Brothers Karamazov is the last novel of Fyodor Dostoevsky and is generally considered one of the best works of fiction. The story deals with a Russian land owner and his sons, set in a village in the late 1800s. The story telling is simply a masterpiece. There is great depth and complexity in the characters who struggle with various conflicts. This book is generally classified as a courtroom drama or a murder mystery but such a description does not do it justice. The author uses this story as a medium to depict how different individuals think and feel in our society. The underlying story is heart-wrenching and the murder mystery plot line is riveting. The reader will be immersed in the story because of the characters and feel what the characters are going through which is a testament to the brilliance of the writing.
There is a good deal of philosophy and questions of religion and free will raised in long expositions in different sections of the book (which can be hard to read and can require time to digest). There are deep symbolisms, allegories and thought provoking philosophical questions wrapped in an insightful depiction of human nature presented as a tale that leads up to a courtroom drama. There is a surprising amount of subtle humour throughout the book. This particular edition is an English translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky of the Russian novel and is one of the more popular translations. There are many characters and each of them have many nicknames (which can get confusing). It helps to take notes of the characters' names and timelines of major events in the story while reading (because the story is somewhat nonlinear). It is astounding that this book was published as a serial in a magazine over the course of two years when it looks like note taking is required to fully enjoy the novel when it is available as a book today.
There is a good deal of philosophy and questions of religion and free will raised in long expositions in different sections of the book (which can be hard to read and can require time to digest). There are deep symbolisms, allegories and thought provoking philosophical questions wrapped in an insightful depiction of human nature presented as a tale that leads up to a courtroom drama. There is a surprising amount of subtle humour throughout the book. This particular edition is an English translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky of the Russian novel and is one of the more popular translations. There are many characters and each of them have many nicknames (which can get confusing). It helps to take notes of the characters' names and timelines of major events in the story while reading (because the story is somewhat nonlinear). It is astounding that this book was published as a serial in a magazine over the course of two years when it looks like note taking is required to fully enjoy the novel when it is available as a book today.