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A review by readingisadoingword
The Diary of a Madman and Other Stories: The Nose; The Carriage; The Overcoat; Taras Bulba by Andrew R. MacAndrew, Nikolai Gogol, Leon Stilman
challenging
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I read this collection of Gogol stories as part of #AYearOfRussianLit
This volume contains - The Diary of a Madman, The Nose, The Carriage, The Overcoat and Taras Bulba.
There's a lot to unpack from these short stories and a lot that I'm quite sure went far over my head!
In the first four stories all the protagonists are fixated by social status and their desire for recognition or advancement. There is a cynical insinuation that a higher status does not necessarily represent a "better" person and that not all those in positions of power are deserving - or at least are not unanimously regarded as deserving by their inferiors. In The Carriage and the Overcoat an external inanimate object takes on the power of impressing ones peers - surely a materialistic view of society?
All apart from Taras Bulba are absurd and grotesque stories with elements almost of magical realism and a dash of humour on some. On the whole I pitied the main characters and their foibles but sometimes I was a bit lost in the absurdity.
Taras Bulba was an altogether different type of story - more of a romanticised historical novella, it chronicled the escapades of elderly Cossack Taras and his two sons. The themes of loyalty, betrayal, religion and heritage were strongly presented and had a very contrasting tone to the preceding stories.
This was an interesting introduction to Gogol and intrigued me to read more and perhaps even re-read, as I feel these stories require more than one perusal to fully understand their nuances. I'm glad to have dipped my toe into Gogol's world.
This volume contains - The Diary of a Madman, The Nose, The Carriage, The Overcoat and Taras Bulba.
There's a lot to unpack from these short stories and a lot that I'm quite sure went far over my head!
In the first four stories all the protagonists are fixated by social status and their desire for recognition or advancement. There is a cynical insinuation that a higher status does not necessarily represent a "better" person and that not all those in positions of power are deserving - or at least are not unanimously regarded as deserving by their inferiors. In The Carriage and the Overcoat an external inanimate object takes on the power of impressing ones peers - surely a materialistic view of society?
All apart from Taras Bulba are absurd and grotesque stories with elements almost of magical realism and a dash of humour on some. On the whole I pitied the main characters and their foibles but sometimes I was a bit lost in the absurdity.
Taras Bulba was an altogether different type of story - more of a romanticised historical novella, it chronicled the escapades of elderly Cossack Taras and his two sons. The themes of loyalty, betrayal, religion and heritage were strongly presented and had a very contrasting tone to the preceding stories.
This was an interesting introduction to Gogol and intrigued me to read more and perhaps even re-read, as I feel these stories require more than one perusal to fully understand their nuances. I'm glad to have dipped my toe into Gogol's world.