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A review by shrutislibrary
White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"And I do nothing but dream every day that at last I shall meet someone. Oh, if only you knew how often I have been in love in that way...."
"White Nights" begins with the solitary nocturnal wanderings of a young 26-year-old dreamer (who has never had a lover but dreamed of being in love many times) stalking the streets of St. Petersburg utterly lonely and desolate trying to find the cause of his deep sorrow & loneliness, when he chances upon a young woman, Nastenka, with whom he develops a bond so precious and beautiful yet the cause of more torment & heartbreak. This encounter leads them to unravel their entire histories, their darkest thoughts and dashed hopes with each other trying to find a common ground, where there are no secrets between them. They give each other much-needed consolation, lend a kind ear to their sorrows of abandonment, and lost loves and nurse their broken hearts over four white nights.
This novella was my first venture into Dostoevsky's works and I was smitten by the tenderness of his prose and the complexity of emotions displayed by both the characters but especially the unnamed male protagonist. The narrator's utter dejection at being left alone on the streets of St. Petersburg, how he felt he had nowhere to go, and the paranoia at every object appearing as old, dingy and out of sorts in his apartment show the genius of Dostoevsky's writing. The way depression is many shaded and insidious and pervades every space, every thought and aspect of one's waking life has been depicted so well. The nocturnal descriptions of the city were captivating to read and brought alive 19th century St. Petersburg so vividly in my imagination. I can't wait to delve into his more famous works next! This was a solid, yet not-so intimidating introduction to Dostoevsky and I'm thankful to the person on the internet for this recommendation.🖤
"White Nights" begins with the solitary nocturnal wanderings of a young 26-year-old dreamer (who has never had a lover but dreamed of being in love many times) stalking the streets of St. Petersburg utterly lonely and desolate trying to find the cause of his deep sorrow & loneliness, when he chances upon a young woman, Nastenka, with whom he develops a bond so precious and beautiful yet the cause of more torment & heartbreak. This encounter leads them to unravel their entire histories, their darkest thoughts and dashed hopes with each other trying to find a common ground, where there are no secrets between them. They give each other much-needed consolation, lend a kind ear to their sorrows of abandonment, and lost loves and nurse their broken hearts over four white nights.
This novella was my first venture into Dostoevsky's works and I was smitten by the tenderness of his prose and the complexity of emotions displayed by both the characters but especially the unnamed male protagonist. The narrator's utter dejection at being left alone on the streets of St. Petersburg, how he felt he had nowhere to go, and the paranoia at every object appearing as old, dingy and out of sorts in his apartment show the genius of Dostoevsky's writing. The way depression is many shaded and insidious and pervades every space, every thought and aspect of one's waking life has been depicted so well. The nocturnal descriptions of the city were captivating to read and brought alive 19th century St. Petersburg so vividly in my imagination. I can't wait to delve into his more famous works next! This was a solid, yet not-so intimidating introduction to Dostoevsky and I'm thankful to the person on the internet for this recommendation.🖤