A review by lizzye33
White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky

challenging emotional mysterious reflective relaxing sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a beautiful story. When I first heard about it last week, I knew I was going to connect with it. There is a quiet ache to this story, one of loneliness and sharing dreams, and something special in reading the thoughts of those dreams written long ago. 
This is my first official story by this author, and much like Tolstoy, I very much enjoyed the depths of the characters and the human experience, philosophy, and complications of the heart that can only be understood when reading with one's own. 

Yes, many aspects of this book at face value may not draw much interest to some made to read it for an assignment such as issues regarding their youth and lack of experience in love and life respectively in their youth, diolouge that jumps around in unclear thought from time to time (because the characters themselves are confused and lay even their thoughts out in the open), or the people who hate Romeo and Juliet due to these factors and the needless tragedy by the end inspired by youthful dreams that may have been better limited to dreams. Essentially, two sheltered people who know deep yearning.
 
But I connected deeply with this story and its characters. However, their depth was rather limited; I would love to meet more people who think and feel the way this author did in creating something this vibrant. An old book that brings comfort from another time, reaching out, can make you think and interact through eras. 
I did not find it confusing personally, and I deeply understood the depths of their nature. 
As a daydreamer who adores philosophy, especially that of a hopeless romantic, aka a kindred spirit, this was right up my alley. I loved the love for life and moments and melancholy, as one might feel drinking coffee sitting by the same canal, traveling, reading a paper, and pondering mortality while people-watching. 

I have yet to fall in romantic love, but I am a dreamer from books and romantic ideals. I have been in isolation for five years since the pandemic and know perfectly well what our narrator felt in this story, like a ghost, when going for walks. He deserves better and all the love his heart longs for, and I am frustrated yet peacefully understand Nastanka, forgiving her naive, confused, young, and somewhat selfish heart. 

This short story is certainly a very good one if you're willing to take the time to read and connect with it. I loved the depth of it, not just the emotional connection, but also the connectivity as humans mentally. I would read it again and recommend it! 
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