Crime and Punishment in 100 books to read before you die

Jul 18, 2014 Nicole rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 1001-list-books, 2015, favorites, murder, russia

What is there to say? This one is definitely going on my list of favorites. Yes, it's a long novel, but Dostoyevsky explores so many concepts - human nature, pride, entitlement, suffering, redemption, etc. - that it could have been even longer and still been fascinating. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time to come. ...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Kinara Shah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Let me put this in a very straight forward (and perhaps in a little rude) way : The first few pages will bore you.

The start :
The story of a guy murdering two women and confessing in the end? That's it ?!
Rasolnikov, you want to kill the old pawnbroker? Go ahead and Kill her already!! Why spend 200 pages reading the trivial?
(Now this is what happens when you've read lot of lightening speed mystery novels. A piece of advice : Stick to it anyway.)

The middle :
The book speaks to you, in the most Let me put this in a very straight forward (and perhaps in a little rude) way : The first few pages will bore you.

The start :
The story of a guy murdering two women and confessing in the end? That's it ?!
Rasolnikov, you want to kill the old pawnbroker? Go ahead and Kill her already!! Why spend 200 pages reading the trivial?
(Now this is what happens when you've read lot of lightening speed mystery novels. A piece of advice : Stick to it anyway.)

The middle :
The book speaks to you, in the most weird ways.
Marmeladov's blabbering suddenly starts making sense. Like me, if you've always liked psychology, you are going to love Dostoyevsky. The psychological analysis, the theories, the justifications,the inner conflicts and most importantly, the portrayal of characters. You're going to see the underlying human emotions : the self-loathing, the hatred, resentment, mother's love, sister's care, a friend's worry, fear, every bit of it. How a man who has just murdered two women intimates you, how the protagonist also becomes antagonist and how you start liking a murderer is just beyond me. A scholar who thinks he's a super-human and therefore above or aside from others? Someone who I'd hate. And yet, a fear creeps in when he even thinks of giving up.
So you're gonna say " All right, I'll go for this ride. I don't like what he's doing, but I understand ". Avdotya, the woman I respect. Sacrifice and Tolerance, the reactions when she finds out her own brother is a murderer : Incredible. The crazy Marmeladov's wife : You'll hate and pity her at the same time. How is that even possible? And yet you will. Such is the power of human sensation. Razumihin : A perfect friend. And Sonya? Oh, How much I adore that girl ! "An angel" The reading of Lazarus : My favorite part. The tears, the anxiety, her sudden excitement,infinite faith, his cunning smile.. The master of human behaviors does the magic again.
At times, you'll realize there are parts you don't understand. But you don't have to, let it be. Someday you will and that would be one of the greatest revelations,ever.

The end :
Marvelous. A heart-warming tale of redemption.
'For he who has found love, has found everything.'
Enough said.

I did miss out on a lot of stuff. Like the beautiful mother, the smart inspector, Avodtya's husband, Svidrigaïlov's sad death and the list goes on! You get the point? Every character is perfectly described and every page is a memory which will be carved in your heart.

This could be one of the best books you'll ever read.
Or, one of the worst.
But never mind. Someday, I hope you will join me.

P.S : This was more of a "Highly Recommended" post rather than a balanced review :( But that's how some books are. ...more

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