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Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Bantam Classics
Andrew R. MacAndrew
ISBN13: 9780553212167
Condition: NEW
Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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A remarkable work showing the author's power to depict Russian character and his understanding of human nature.
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| Absolutely mind-numbing boring |
| Customer Rating: 1 out of 5 |
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The Brothers Karamazov has been described as one of the greatest works of fiction ever written so I was anxious to read it. I read very little fiction but was persuaded by the multiple 5 star reviews on this site that the book was worth a try. I read the first 100 pages and just had to give up. This is the most boring work in print that I have ever read. The book is long-winded while very short on substance. Perhaps it picks up later; there must be a reason for so many glowing reviews on this site. But the first one hundred pages could have been covered in ten without loss to the story.
A compelling work of fiction should not take more than one hundred pages to get into the story and should say what needs to be said without filler. This book fails miserably on both points. Not recommended at all unless you have lots of time to waste or don't mind sifting through hundreds of pages of minutiae.
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| Introspective, thought-provoking book that should be read by everyone! |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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A book that explores important themes such as God/religion, love and morality, this is an addictingly great read! Like "Crime & Punishment", there is a dark mood throughout the book that is lifted only towards the end. However, unlike "C&P", I found the characters in this book to be more fantastical yet more relateable. This book is a wonderful exploration of the themes of God/religion/spirituality, love, brotherhood and money. An epic book that transcends time and place, this is a must-read for all!
P.S. The Bantam Classics edition is particularly portable and makes it a lot easier to bring this thousand-page book around!
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| Just Amazing |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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I cant begin to sum up how good a book this is. It is probably the most enjoyable book Ive ever read in my life, and ive read many.
This is a completely psychological book that shows the inner workings of man and his soul, or lack thereof. It is the tale of three(four) brothers, all of whom nothing alike, and their horrible father. I dont want to spoil anything for anyone because it is far too good a book to be giving away anything about it, but if you are going to read one novel for the rest of your life, this is it. I cant speak of how well the translation is compared to others since this is the only one I have read, but I thought it was very enjoyable.
PLEASE do yourself a favor and read this book.
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| The pinnacle of Dostoevskii's career |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This book has been called the climax of Dostoevskii's career, the greatest novel of all time, etc. And not without reason. Dostoevskii reaches into our very souls and pulls out our darkest fears.
The story introduces a sensous and passionate family. The three brothers, Dmitri, Aloysha, and Ivan, represent the Russian psyche: the sensual, the fanatical mystic, and the atheist, respectively. Their father is a lecherous buffoon (incidentally, the scene between Fyodor Karamazov and the holy priest Zosimov is one of the funniest in all of literature). Their father is a disgrace and an embarrassment to the family.
In this way Dostoevskii neatly sets up the ensuing murder: he involves Dmitri and Fyodor in a sordid love triangle. People owe each other money. The typical mafia setting.
Dostoevskii uses this to explore the terrible questions of fratricide and the question of God. Another theme in the book, which upset many proponents of liberal democracy, is the inevitable triumph of Slavophilism. Dostoevskii was a champion of monarchy and the Russian Orthodox Church. He saw Russia as the vehicle of the Church. And Dostoevskii uses the novel to tell this story.
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| Consider buying another book if you're not a Christian |
| Customer Rating: 3 out of 5 |
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Before you buy this edition, use Amazon's Search/Look Inside feature to read the first few pages of all available translations so that you can buy the one you like the most. Buying a bad translation will ruin your experience. I bought Andrew MacAndrew's because the text just flows.
Now a review of the book itself. The main story is good and most of the characters are outstanding, but I'm not a Christian and the book's Christian theme put me off. Besides, Alyosha was such a boring hero, all he did was smile a lot and utter a line once in a while. For some reason, Alyosha never had any internal monologue and it was hard for me to know him. I wonder why the hero was boring while the villain, Fyodor, was so entertaining, even though he could also be annoying. But Dmitry and Ivan were the best characters by far. They may not represent the ideals of Christianity like Alyosha. Who cares? They were much more human and my heart went to them.
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