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A review by kvnvn
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
5.0
I'm a bit late to this, but let's hope I'm still able to get my thoughts across to how perfect this book was for me. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it inspired hope, it brought despair, and most importantly it made me think. I'm sure it would've been a perfect book for me around 4-5 years back when my Christian angst was at an all time high, but also I couldn't get through 20 pages of Moby Dick back then (and probably now as well) so who knows about that one.
I think the best way for me to tackle a review of this book, is to break it down by a few characters which inspired those feelings in me, firstly with the atheist, the wittiest and middle-child of the siblings. (I'll try to keep it as spoiler free as possible).
Ivan
Ivan in my personal opinion, is my favourite of the three brothers. Dostoevsky manages to knock it out of the park, back to back with the chapters 'Rebellion' and 'The Grand Inquisitor', the latter of which can probably be a standalone novella. . Another thing I've noticed, is that while a lot of people have noted Brothers Karamazov as reinspiring their faith, I think quite the opposite, Ivan especially has reaffirmed many of my confusions and thoughts regarding it, but who knows I'm just about as ignorant as him. In order to make sure this review isn't titled the brothers Ivan Karamazov, I'll only talk about the first chapter of the two. I viewed 'The Grand Inquisitor' more of a debate on security vs freedom, which I did resonate with but I digress. Ivan isn't someone who pretends to know what he's talking about, instead he establishes his own ignorance and instead challenges Alyosha (and in turn us) with his anecdotes.
"Even some of the most distinguished, who doubt whether the whole universe, or to speak more widely the whole of being, was only created in Euclid's geometry; they even dare to dream that two parallel lines, which according to Euclid can never meet on earth, may meet somewhere in infinity. I have come to the conclusion that, since I can't understand even that, I can't expect to understand about God."
While being hella relatable, because I'm still trying to wrap my head around geodesics, I do resonate with the humbling status of our position in this world as well as the difficulty in comprehending a God's actions. But instead of outright dismissing the possibility of a God, Ivan instead rejects 'God's world', saying that,"I accept God and am glad to... Yet would you believe it, in the final result I don't accept this world of God's and although I know it exists, I don't accept it at all. It's not that I don't accept God, you must understand, it's the world created by Him". Ivan, and so do I at times wonder about "the world's finale, at the moment of eternal harmony", and whether 'God's world' will deal, or has dealt with "the atonement of all the crimes of humanity, of all the blood they've shed." This then leads to Ivan's tirades of anecdotes he's collected, which were some of my favourite parts to reflect upon while reading.
The first of the anecdotes which stuck out to me in 'Rebellion' stuck out to me in the lens of the death penalty. The story talked about a criminal, recently caught of murder who had been converted to Christianity before his execution. Only after his revelation the Christians praise and cry out to the criminal, exclaiming, "This is the happiest day of your life, for you are going to the Lord!... Die brother, die in the Lord, for even thou hast found grace!..." and so, "they chopped off his head in brotherly fashion, because he had found grace." I think this particularly struck a chord with me about the irony of teaching the sanctity of life and forgiveness, while acting against those principles.
The second anecdote which stuck out to me was about the beating of a child by their own parents. "This poor child of five was subjected to every possible torture by those cultivated parents. They beat her, thrashed her... they smeared her face and filled her mouth with excrement, and it was her mother that did this." The fact that an innocent girl who has done no wrong, who "can't even understand what's done to her" should be subjected to such atrocities, made me think about the cruel world which we're in where injustices occur to the faultless, while a God allows the "infamy" to be permitted.
The third and final anecdote of Ivan's that made me reflect, definitely hit me the hardest out of them all. Ivan talks about a young boy who, while playing with rocks, accidentally hurls one at the general's favourite hound. The general issues a cruel punishment to the boy, where he is to be let loose in a forest while the generals' hounds hunt the boy for sport. The worst part of it all is that the mother watches as "The hounds catch him, and tear him to pieces." Even Alyosha who is listening attentively, the most pious and faithful of the group insists that the general ought "to be shot". The main point which stuck with me from this anecdote is Ivan's emphasis on Christian (and probably most religions) forgiveness. Ivan talks about the harmony of forgiveness and that is achieved in the afterlife, where the mother is expected to "embrace the fiend who threw her child to the dogs" for the sake of this "higher harmony", however the child's tears are "unatoned for and they must be atoned for". Specifically the part which made me put the book down and just take it all in is where Ivan declares, "I don't want the mother to embrace the oppressor who threw her son to the dogs! She dare not forgive him!... The sufferings of her tortured child she has no right to forgive... And if that is so, if they dare not forgive, what becomes of harmony?... if the sufferings of children go to swell the sufferings which was necessary to pay for truth, then I protest that the truth is not worth such a price." That is the 'Rebellion'.
Ilusha and Kolya
If Ivan made me think, then Ilusha and Kolya brought despair and inspired hope together. The heart-warming as well as heart-wrenching tale of these two is brought up when I least expected it. Didn't really know I'd be crying and throwing up about a kid who was introduced in a rock throwing quarrel between children. One of the funniest parts in the book was when he just fucking chomps Alyosha's hand after he tries to console him. The steadfastness of Ilusha in an attempt to make his father proud, and his father maintaining pride for his loving child in return, while it being just about the saddest part in the book, also warms me up with hope.
Kolya on the other hand reminds me a bit of myself as a small kid, I feel like the actions that he takes are the same that I would do in his situation. My favourite part about Kolya was that unlike Ivan who he seems to mimic, we are shown Kolya's process of being humbled, where he begins cocky and well-instructed child. It sounds like he's parroting things he's reading in books and hearing from adults, without fully grasping their concept in the depth that Ivan does. Kolya and Ilusha's dynamic is just a delight to read through, and watch them grow together. Now we go into spoiler territory.
Ilusha's father trying to "amuse and comfort his precious boy" with stories, funny anecdotes just makes Ilusha "haunted by the memory of "the wisp of tow and that terrible day", however he still puts on a proud face for his father. In my opinion, this is exactly what Ivan is talking about in regards to the innocence of children, these are the people in the world subjected to the terribleness of life that have no right to be. This next part left the biggest hole in my heart, tears flowing and a choking sensation in my neck. Kolya walks to Ilusha's bedside, "the sick boy turns visibly paler", his "wasted, yellow face, enormous, feverishly glowing eyes and such thin little hands". Kolya tries to put on the same brave face to Ilusha greeting him with "Well old man... how are you? But his voice failed him, he couldn't achieve an appearance of ease; his face suddenly twitched and the corners of his mouth quivered". In response to all his "Ilusha smiled a pitiful little smile, still unable to mutter a word". Kolya even trying to reassure his friend about his new dog, letting him know he'll grow up to be the strongest house dog that'll be fierce, "But in reality he still had his utmost to control his feelings not to burst out crying like a child".
Ilusha, being the sweetest and purest child also gives away his new toy cannon which was gifted by Kolya to his dearest mamma who begged like a child for it in a manic state. There is just so much to talk about these two, but all I really have to say is "Hurrah for Karamazov!"
Dmitri
Dmitri, Ivan and Fyodor Pavlovitch being part of the love dodecahedron with Katerina and Grushenka wasn't the most interesting part of the book for me, but it definitely added to the whole 'Karamazov' vibe with their debauchery and sensualism. Seeing his quarrel with papa Karamazov was like watching them tussle at the edge of a cliff, just waiting for something bad to happen. I did however really really like his trial. The wittiness of the attorney just made the whole ordeal really fun to watch. Also seeing how well parts of the story can be misrepresented based on the perspectives in which they're viewed from is really cool to see in hindsight. Overall that part of the book while I think it stretched on for a tad bit too long, really found a place in the book and was enjoyable.
Dmitri definitely made me laugh the most though, so I'll give him that (whether intentionally or not). This is just one of the things that made me giggle.
“Oh, gentlemen, you needn’t go into details, how, when and why, and why just so much money, and not so much, and all that rigmarole. Why, it’ll run to three volumes, and then you’ll want an epilogue!” Just a meta joke about how long the book is, very nicely timed with it being like 2/3 in the book.
Alyosha
The golden child of the Karamazov's. The most pious and least 'Karamazov-esque' of the brothers or so we think has the spotlight for basically the entirety of the book. A lot of things presented to the reader which challenge us, are also putting Alyosha's faith to the test. However unlike the reader who can go either way, Alyosha remains fervently on the side he began with.
It is really sad to watch Alyosha's small fall from grace, as even he repeats Ivan's line of "I am not rebelling against my God; I simply 'don't accept his world'" to Rakitin. However Alyosha picks himself back up slowly, showing that regardless of all his Karamazov traits he still holds strong and even manages to become an integral part in Dmitri's as well as Ilusha's story.
I was also giggling with excitement when I read about Grushenka's anecdote to Alyosha which mirrored her own life. Immediately after realising the resemblance to 'The Spider's Thread' by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa I realised it had actually been inspired by the onion story, which in turn inspired something in Danganronpa sooo... there're like two layers of separation between both mediums. The story talks about a "wicked peasant woman", who when she had died and was cast into the lake of fire, was given a saving grace in the way of an onion which "she once pulled up... in her garden... and gave it to a beggar woman". So God had given her a saving grace, in the form of that same onion which was used to pull the lady up out of hell. Just as she was being dragged out, other sinners in hell had grabbed a hold of her, attempting to escape hell as well and the wicked woman began kicking and them and shouted "I'm to be pulled out, not you, it's my onion not yours". At that moment the onion broke and she fell back into the depths of hell. After a pep talk given by the king Alyosha, Grushenka says to him, "Why did you not come before, you angel?...I believed that someone like you would come and forgive me. I believed that as nasty as I am, someone would really love me, not only with shameful love!". The next line was such a banger I had to put the book down for later. Alyosha responds humbly with "I only gave you an onion, nothing but a tiny little onion, that was all!", letting Grushenka know that her redemption is in her own hands to control, and Alyosha had done nothing but give that chance of redemption.
Alyosha certainly does deserve to be the brother which the story focuses around and while I think his older brother Ivan steals the spotlight, Alyosha does an amazing job of being an integral part of every story branch which is spread from the trunk of this enormous book.
Hurray for Karamazov!
Brilliant book, my favourite by Dostoevsky (unless the idiot manages to take the crown). I'm really glad I've read through most his work and I really appreciate the themes which he talks about that seem to sit really close to my own heart. Loved the characters, loved the plot and most importantly I love the ideas presented.
Tl;dr Oh gentlemen, you needn't go into details, why you like the book, who your favourite character is, why is it so close to you. Why it'll run to three thousand words, and then you'll want a conclusion!
I think the best way for me to tackle a review of this book, is to break it down by a few characters which inspired those feelings in me, firstly with the atheist, the wittiest and middle-child of the siblings. (I'll try to keep it as spoiler free as possible).
Ivan
Ivan in my personal opinion, is my favourite of the three
Spoiler
maybe fourSpoiler
Even watching his descent when talking to the devil himself, as well as his manic episode in the trial sends chills down my spine"Even some of the most distinguished, who doubt whether the whole universe, or to speak more widely the whole of being, was only created in Euclid's geometry; they even dare to dream that two parallel lines, which according to Euclid can never meet on earth, may meet somewhere in infinity. I have come to the conclusion that, since I can't understand even that, I can't expect to understand about God."
While being hella relatable, because I'm still trying to wrap my head around geodesics, I do resonate with the humbling status of our position in this world as well as the difficulty in comprehending a God's actions. But instead of outright dismissing the possibility of a God, Ivan instead rejects 'God's world', saying that,"I accept God and am glad to... Yet would you believe it, in the final result I don't accept this world of God's and although I know it exists, I don't accept it at all. It's not that I don't accept God, you must understand, it's the world created by Him". Ivan, and so do I at times wonder about "the world's finale, at the moment of eternal harmony", and whether 'God's world' will deal, or has dealt with "the atonement of all the crimes of humanity, of all the blood they've shed." This then leads to Ivan's tirades of anecdotes he's collected, which were some of my favourite parts to reflect upon while reading.
The first of the anecdotes which stuck out to me in 'Rebellion' stuck out to me in the lens of the death penalty. The story talked about a criminal, recently caught of murder who had been converted to Christianity before his execution. Only after his revelation the Christians praise and cry out to the criminal, exclaiming, "This is the happiest day of your life, for you are going to the Lord!... Die brother, die in the Lord, for even thou hast found grace!..." and so, "they chopped off his head in brotherly fashion, because he had found grace." I think this particularly struck a chord with me about the irony of teaching the sanctity of life and forgiveness, while acting against those principles.
The second anecdote which stuck out to me was about the beating of a child by their own parents. "This poor child of five was subjected to every possible torture by those cultivated parents. They beat her, thrashed her... they smeared her face and filled her mouth with excrement, and it was her mother that did this." The fact that an innocent girl who has done no wrong, who "can't even understand what's done to her" should be subjected to such atrocities, made me think about the cruel world which we're in where injustices occur to the faultless, while a God allows the "infamy" to be permitted.
The third and final anecdote of Ivan's that made me reflect, definitely hit me the hardest out of them all. Ivan talks about a young boy who, while playing with rocks, accidentally hurls one at the general's favourite hound. The general issues a cruel punishment to the boy, where he is to be let loose in a forest while the generals' hounds hunt the boy for sport. The worst part of it all is that the mother watches as "The hounds catch him, and tear him to pieces." Even Alyosha who is listening attentively, the most pious and faithful of the group insists that the general ought "to be shot". The main point which stuck with me from this anecdote is Ivan's emphasis on Christian (and probably most religions) forgiveness. Ivan talks about the harmony of forgiveness and that is achieved in the afterlife, where the mother is expected to "embrace the fiend who threw her child to the dogs" for the sake of this "higher harmony", however the child's tears are "unatoned for and they must be atoned for". Specifically the part which made me put the book down and just take it all in is where Ivan declares, "I don't want the mother to embrace the oppressor who threw her son to the dogs! She dare not forgive him!... The sufferings of her tortured child she has no right to forgive... And if that is so, if they dare not forgive, what becomes of harmony?... if the sufferings of children go to swell the sufferings which was necessary to pay for truth, then I protest that the truth is not worth such a price." That is the 'Rebellion'.
Ilusha and Kolya
If Ivan made me think, then Ilusha and Kolya brought despair and inspired hope together. The heart-warming as well as heart-wrenching tale of these two is brought up when I least expected it. Didn't really know I'd be crying and throwing up about a kid who was introduced in a rock throwing quarrel between children. One of the funniest parts in the book was when he just fucking chomps Alyosha's hand after he tries to console him. The steadfastness of Ilusha in an attempt to make his father proud, and his father maintaining pride for his loving child in return, while it being just about the saddest part in the book, also warms me up with hope.
Kolya on the other hand reminds me a bit of myself as a small kid, I feel like the actions that he takes are the same that I would do in his situation. My favourite part about Kolya was that unlike Ivan who he seems to mimic, we are shown Kolya's process of being humbled, where he begins cocky and well-instructed child. It sounds like he's parroting things he's reading in books and hearing from adults, without fully grasping their concept in the depth that Ivan does. Kolya and Ilusha's dynamic is just a delight to read through, and watch them grow together. Now we go into spoiler territory.
Spoiler
As I've said above, Ilusha was really sprung on me without me thinking he'd have that big of an impact in the story. While he doesn't actually affect the story surrounding the Karamazov brothers and the patricide, I think his story is an essential part for the conclusion and really makes this book feel complete. Usually with books this long, I'm always thinking later about how much shorter it could've been, while maintaining the same effect. For Brothers Karamazov, I've had no such doubts. Learning that the boy Ilusha stabbed with the penknife, was none other than Kolya really got me invested, finding a character I was interested in already part of another storyline. Ilusha defends his father's pride after insults such as "wisp of tow" and "thread-beard" are thrown out after his public embarrassment, and his father's return of this pride by throwing away Alyosha's charity fucking stung like nothing else. Above all, what kind of man would he look like to his son after all of this, after his son has been beaten, mocked and harassed and still won't relent to save his father's honour. "There are people of deep feeling who have been somehow crushed. Buffoonery in them is a form of resentful irony against those to whom they daren’t speak the truth, from having been for years humiliated and intimidated by them. Believe me, Krassotkin, that sort of buffoonery is sometimes tragic in the extreme. His whole life now is centered in Ilusha...". Even after attacking Kolya, the fact that he was surrounded by his schoolmates "who had been his enemies", Ilusha still has a heaviness in his heart from Kolya's absence which when learning they had been friends before this hurt even more. "Perhaps the bitterest of all his bitter memories was his stabbing Krassotkin, who had been his one friend and protector."Ilusha's father trying to "amuse and comfort his precious boy" with stories, funny anecdotes just makes Ilusha "haunted by the memory of "the wisp of tow and that terrible day", however he still puts on a proud face for his father. In my opinion, this is exactly what Ivan is talking about in regards to the innocence of children, these are the people in the world subjected to the terribleness of life that have no right to be. This next part left the biggest hole in my heart, tears flowing and a choking sensation in my neck. Kolya walks to Ilusha's bedside, "the sick boy turns visibly paler", his "wasted, yellow face, enormous, feverishly glowing eyes and such thin little hands". Kolya tries to put on the same brave face to Ilusha greeting him with "Well old man... how are you? But his voice failed him, he couldn't achieve an appearance of ease; his face suddenly twitched and the corners of his mouth quivered". In response to all his "Ilusha smiled a pitiful little smile, still unable to mutter a word". Kolya even trying to reassure his friend about his new dog, letting him know he'll grow up to be the strongest house dog that'll be fierce, "But in reality he still had his utmost to control his feelings not to burst out crying like a child".
Ilusha, being the sweetest and purest child also gives away his new toy cannon which was gifted by Kolya to his dearest mamma who begged like a child for it in a manic state. There is just so much to talk about these two, but all I really have to say is "Hurrah for Karamazov!"
Dmitri
Dmitri, Ivan and Fyodor Pavlovitch being part of the love dodecahedron with Katerina and Grushenka wasn't the most interesting part of the book for me, but it definitely added to the whole 'Karamazov' vibe with their debauchery and sensualism. Seeing his quarrel with papa Karamazov was like watching them tussle at the edge of a cliff, just waiting for something bad to happen. I did however really really like his trial. The wittiness of the attorney just made the whole ordeal really fun to watch. Also seeing how well parts of the story can be misrepresented based on the perspectives in which they're viewed from is really cool to see in hindsight. Overall that part of the book while I think it stretched on for a tad bit too long, really found a place in the book and was enjoyable.
Spoiler
Watching Dmitri helplessly chase after Grushenka while tossing away the gem that was Katerina, was like trying to convince your bestie not to go after someone who you know they're not worth. Later on though you do kinda admire Grushenka in her own way, and Dmitri's a dumbass all in all so it's alright I guess.Dmitri definitely made me laugh the most though, so I'll give him that (whether intentionally or not). This is just one of the things that made me giggle.
“Oh, gentlemen, you needn’t go into details, how, when and why, and why just so much money, and not so much, and all that rigmarole. Why, it’ll run to three volumes, and then you’ll want an epilogue!” Just a meta joke about how long the book is, very nicely timed with it being like 2/3 in the book.
Alyosha
The golden child of the Karamazov's. The most pious and least 'Karamazov-esque' of the brothers or so we think has the spotlight for basically the entirety of the book. A lot of things presented to the reader which challenge us, are also putting Alyosha's faith to the test. However unlike the reader who can go either way, Alyosha remains fervently on the side he began with.
Spoiler
His story alongside Father Zossima is exceptionally cruel, especially when regarding how fond he was of him, as well as the respect that was held to him. Alyosha, even at the start of the book remarks, "The conviction that after his death the elder would bring extraordinary glory to the monastery was even stronger in Alyosha than in anyone there, and, of late, a kind of deep flame of inner ecstasy burnt more and more strongly in his heart. He was not at all troubled at this elder’s standing as a solitary example before him." He had been certain that even after his death, Zossima would be given the highest honours and respect. He later finds it impossible that someone as devout and humble as Zossima can meet an end like that, mocked by his peers after his death, destroying the reputation he had held just due to the decaying state of his body. Father Ferapont particularly pissed me off in that regard, you really feel for Alyosha and his anger at watching his beloved Zossima (even after death) be treated in such a way. Initially watching Zossima relay parts of his life to Alyosha on his deathbed felt tedious and dragged on too long for me, but I do think it explains how he became the man who Alyosha admires so much, "And now the man who should, he believed, have been exalted above everyone in the whole world, that man, instead of receiving the glory that was his due, was suddenly degraded and dishonored! What for? Who had judged him? Who could have decreed this? Those were the questions that wrung his inexperienced and virginal heart...Where is the finger of Providence? Why did Providence hide its face “at the most critical moment” (so Alyosha thought it), as though voluntarily submitting to the blind, dumb, pitiless laws of nature?"It is really sad to watch Alyosha's small fall from grace, as even he repeats Ivan's line of "I am not rebelling against my God; I simply 'don't accept his world'" to Rakitin. However Alyosha picks himself back up slowly, showing that regardless of all his Karamazov traits he still holds strong and even manages to become an integral part in Dmitri's as well as Ilusha's story.
I was also giggling with excitement when I read about Grushenka's anecdote to Alyosha which mirrored her own life. Immediately after realising the resemblance to 'The Spider's Thread' by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa I realised it had actually been inspired by the onion story, which in turn inspired something in Danganronpa sooo... there're like two layers of separation between both mediums. The story talks about a "wicked peasant woman", who when she had died and was cast into the lake of fire, was given a saving grace in the way of an onion which "she once pulled up... in her garden... and gave it to a beggar woman". So God had given her a saving grace, in the form of that same onion which was used to pull the lady up out of hell. Just as she was being dragged out, other sinners in hell had grabbed a hold of her, attempting to escape hell as well and the wicked woman began kicking and them and shouted "I'm to be pulled out, not you, it's my onion not yours". At that moment the onion broke and she fell back into the depths of hell. After a pep talk given by the king Alyosha, Grushenka says to him, "Why did you not come before, you angel?...I believed that someone like you would come and forgive me. I believed that as nasty as I am, someone would really love me, not only with shameful love!". The next line was such a banger I had to put the book down for later. Alyosha responds humbly with "I only gave you an onion, nothing but a tiny little onion, that was all!", letting Grushenka know that her redemption is in her own hands to control, and Alyosha had done nothing but give that chance of redemption.
Alyosha certainly does deserve to be the brother which the story focuses around and while I think his older brother Ivan steals the spotlight, Alyosha does an amazing job of being an integral part of every story branch which is spread from the trunk of this enormous book.
Hurray for Karamazov!
Brilliant book, my favourite by Dostoevsky (unless the idiot manages to take the crown). I'm really glad I've read through most his work and I really appreciate the themes which he talks about that seem to sit really close to my own heart. Loved the characters, loved the plot and most importantly I love the ideas presented.
Tl;dr Oh gentlemen, you needn't go into details, why you like the book, who your favourite character is, why is it so close to you. Why it'll run to three thousand words, and then you'll want a conclusion!