A review by nicktraynor
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

4.0

Comical and whimsical in tone, unexpectedly so for what is essentially a Russian Faust. I found it easy to read (probably thanks to another great Pevear and Volokhonsky translation) and I enjoyed the romantic parts in particular. It's telling, I think, that Satan and his retinue come off as less evil than the Soviet authorities of the 1930s, and the casual references to people disappearing when they are taken off for questioning are perturbing. Obviously it's satirical, but it's also the triumph of absurdity in the face of tyranny. I read Richard Pevear's introduction after I finished the novel and all the pieces fell into place; probably the most erudite yet limpid introduction I have ever read.