davehershey 's review for:

The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky

5.0

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I've said it before - you really ought to be reading Dostoyevsky if you are not already doing so. The Idiot is one that I probably should have read sooner as, though it is no simple read as none of his works are, it was a bit easier to follow then some others (The Possessed!). The Idiot tells the story of Prince Myshkin who returns to Russia after years in a Swiss sanatorium. Myshkin is a kind-hearted, forgiving man which leads those he meets to consider him an idiot (hence the title). He clearly does not fit into the depraved world in which he finds himself. In need of support, he ends up surrounded by people quick to take advantage of him. As the story progresses it becomes clear that his gentleness, forgiveness and other attributes are not welcome in his society. Myshkin is a child among wolves.

There is plenty of fodder here for those who would want to reflect on Myshkin as a Christ-figure and what it says about how we treat such people in our midst. Overall, a fantastic book.