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withanhauser 's review for:
The Brothers Karamazov
by Fyodor Dostoevsky
I don't really know how to approach reviewing The Brothers Karamazov. It's certainly one of the longest books that I've read; and, it's a book full of weighty ideas, most of which could themselves form the basis of an individual review (or book). Despite the seeming inaccessibility of the book based on these traits, its appeal is clear. It's simultaneously a love story (or a series of love stories), a family drama, a murder mystery, and--adding depth--a discussion of religion, morality, and free will. Its popularity across ~140 years is understandable and--more so than Crime and Punishment, which feels so much more confined and less ambitious by comparison--it's a mostly enjoyable novel to read. Instead of summarizing the novel's plot and themes and setting out my thoughts on both, I've copied bullets below from my notes on the book. The thing I think that I'll remember the most about this novel is how excellent many of the characters are--Smerdyakov (neither rational like Ivan, nor spiritual like Alyosha, and certainly not sensual like Dmitri (or Ivan or Alyosha); spiteful, solitary, and incredibly complex); Lise (described below); Kolya (described below).
* The Grand Inquisitor posits the idea of free will as disruptive and chaotic. More than any other character, Dmitri seems to exemplify this theme, as his life feels governed by disorder and chaos, and his free will is ultimately on trial at the end.
* Some of the parts in the Father Zosima exhortations chapters are a little boring. I like hearing about his life, but his theology seems like just a loving Christianity that I don’t find particularly interesting. Altogether it sounds like Father Zosima believes in a gospel of loving kindness to others, to appreciating the pleasure of being alive.
* Ivan trying to get 3,000 rubles so that he can settle his debt with Katerina and be with Grushenka is very much a desperate wild goose chase. You can feel his need and his maddened frustration at everyone seeming to unwittingly stymie him. Samorov purposefully sending him away; the peasant L being drunk; Madame Kholkarov telling him to go seek out gold mines. It feels like one failure after another, and makes the tragedy in which it ends seem inevitable.
* Book Nine, the investigation of Dmitri, is very fun to read. Lots of dialogue, familiar story being retold by Dmitri but with his adding new facts to make us question his presumptive guilt. Additionally, given the theme of characters falling in love with those whom circumstance prevents them from being with, Grushenka's immediately falling back in love with him feels not-too unexpected.
* Book Ten—Boys—reads as a kind of sharp turn away from the murder that takes place in the previous books. It’s a lot of fun to read, and the lightened tone, despite the otherwise grave plot (i.e., Ilyuchka dying), is a bit of a relief. Kolya is an excellent character; an intelligent scamp; an adult mind in a child's body. The dynamic between him and Alyosha is great—they seem like equals despite their age difference, and yet both acknowledge that K will be A when he’s older.
Relatedly, Lise is an excellent character. Young and romantic, but weirdly sadistic, violent, and depressive. Very interesting and unique. I was disappointed Dostoyevsky novel didn't return to her
later in the novel.
* The trial is a good representation of the rest of the book. A lot of sudden impassioned speeches of love and spite.
* The final book, which features the trial, reads as kind of long winded and unnecessary. Still, I think the defense attorney’s arguments are interesting. That interpretations and psychology cut both ways— that there isn’t strong proof either way and we can see Dmitri as either a murderer and robber or not. Also, I find the contrasts between the US legal system and the Russian legal system interesting. Dmitri's trial takes place all in one day (ending after 1:00am); and there's a presumption of guilt in his not answering questions. Both of those would be unconstitutional in the US.
* The Grand Inquisitor posits the idea of free will as disruptive and chaotic. More than any other character, Dmitri seems to exemplify this theme, as his life feels governed by disorder and chaos, and his free will is ultimately on trial at the end.
* Some of the parts in the Father Zosima exhortations chapters are a little boring. I like hearing about his life, but his theology seems like just a loving Christianity that I don’t find particularly interesting. Altogether it sounds like Father Zosima believes in a gospel of loving kindness to others, to appreciating the pleasure of being alive.
* Ivan trying to get 3,000 rubles so that he can settle his debt with Katerina and be with Grushenka is very much a desperate wild goose chase. You can feel his need and his maddened frustration at everyone seeming to unwittingly stymie him. Samorov purposefully sending him away; the peasant L being drunk; Madame Kholkarov telling him to go seek out gold mines. It feels like one failure after another, and makes the tragedy in which it ends seem inevitable.
* Book Nine, the investigation of Dmitri, is very fun to read. Lots of dialogue, familiar story being retold by Dmitri but with his adding new facts to make us question his presumptive guilt. Additionally, given the theme of characters falling in love with those whom circumstance prevents them from being with, Grushenka's immediately falling back in love with him feels not-too unexpected.
* Book Ten—Boys—reads as a kind of sharp turn away from the murder that takes place in the previous books. It’s a lot of fun to read, and the lightened tone, despite the otherwise grave plot (i.e., Ilyuchka dying), is a bit of a relief. Kolya is an excellent character; an intelligent scamp; an adult mind in a child's body. The dynamic between him and Alyosha is great—they seem like equals despite their age difference, and yet both acknowledge that K will be A when he’s older.
Relatedly, Lise is an excellent character. Young and romantic, but weirdly sadistic, violent, and depressive. Very interesting and unique. I was disappointed Dostoyevsky novel didn't return to her
later in the novel.
* The trial is a good representation of the rest of the book. A lot of sudden impassioned speeches of love and spite.
* The final book, which features the trial, reads as kind of long winded and unnecessary. Still, I think the defense attorney’s arguments are interesting. That interpretations and psychology cut both ways— that there isn’t strong proof either way and we can see Dmitri as either a murderer and robber or not. Also, I find the contrasts between the US legal system and the Russian legal system interesting. Dmitri's trial takes place all in one day (ending after 1:00am); and there's a presumption of guilt in his not answering questions. Both of those would be unconstitutional in the US.