I just finished this book today. It had been on my to-read list for a long time, namely because of /lit/. Gotta trust the hivemind, right? I even read Crime and Punishment in preparation for this. Now I want to discuss the book.
Please give me your thoughts. And please be aware that the thread will havespoilers
First, I thought that thetrial would be a significantly larger portion of the novel.
What is the consensus? What did you think of this book?
When you know who got buried and i knew that was based on Dosto's kid.. The first and only time i've shed a tear over a book.
Also The Inquisitor and the chapter before had me going "OOOOWWW" for like 40 pages on end.
I enjoyed this shit.
Not in the mood to type it all out tho, will return to this thread. Give it's still here by then.
>>8040266
It's an amazing book and my personal favorite. While I am not that religious (I'm probably agnostic on most of my days) I really appreciate Dostoevsky and his views. What I hate with a good part of Christians is that they just accept God because of fear of death or/and some need of justice instead of thinking about it, reading about it etc and then passionately believing. That's why they are disgusting to me. But Dostoevsky was one of those people who you really feel thought about this thing and felt who knows what, and I am glad that he wrote books. The Brothers Karamazov is the most passionate thing I have read, and the book doesn't have a single flaw. There's so much great scenes, and I nearly shed a tear a few times. It's undeniably my favorite book, it's so good that it makes me want to go full Christian.
The only thing that can come near this is Don Quixote.
>>8040266
Which translation did you read: Garnett's, or P&V's? If the latter, at what price and where did you buy it from
>>8040319
Penguin Classics, translated by David McDuff. It was a gift from my sister; I don't know what she paid. I'm from Denmark though, so the price would mean nothing to you I assume.
>>8040266
Ivan's argument with the devil is probably my sine favorite passage from literature
>>8040429
Mine too
>>8040266
I finished it today too, OP. I really enjoyed it overall. Probably one of my favorite books. The stuff with the children made me cry, and the Zossimov part was really compelling. I wish Dostoevsky lived long enough to write the sequel, desu.
I think it's a beautifully written, passionate book but it has some clumsy bits. A bit fluffy and turgid but a lot of 19th century novels are like that. I thought the ending was pretty anti climactic. A little sentimental in places but that's just Dostoebsky
>>8040266
Will probably start this book myself in the next few weeks. Is reading any other Dostoevsky a prerequisite? Or will I be OK with Brothers as a first?
I'm pretty well-read but not on Russian classics. Seems like it's not a big part of the lit canon anymore, at least undergrad at American universities.
>>8043542
The more Dostoevsky you've read before it, the better but no, nothing is actually required to enjoy/understand it
