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danpusey 's review for:

The Double by Fyodor Dostoevsky
3.0

While not my favorite Dostoyevsky novel, "The Double" tells an interesting story of a protagonist who encounters his doppelganger - a more charismatic and successful version of himself. The presence of this double relegates the protagonist to the role of spectator in his own life.

I found it challenging to stay engaged at times due to the novel's meandering dialogue. However (and I might be reaching for praise here) this wandering narrative style was in its own way quite charming as it mirrors the protagonist's own slipping grasp on reality.

I appreciate the subjectiveness of the plot and its open-ended interpretation, plus that the premise itself must have been very fresh at the time. Although I'm glad to have read it, I don't imagine I'll read The Double a second time as I have other Dosto novels..