Reviews

A Gentle Creature by Fyodor Dostoevsky

pemdas97's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

loyaultemelie's review against another edition

4.0

One of the two best Dostoevsky short stories I’ve read so far - though I think I’ll need to reread it to truly understand. The story is still somewhat elusive to me, perhaps because the unreliable narrator is almost too good at his job. Though the ways in which he imposes a sort of repression onto his wife reminds me of Dostoevsky’s unfinished Netochka Nezvanova. Though of course the trajectory is so different.

In the end the effect overall is stunning. I think this story will remain with me for quite some time.

hypatiasilver's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

lore_010's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

gmendoza's review

dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

var's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

insa's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was really enjoyable! The narrator's misinterpretations of the meek one's behavior presented a sense of humor that I didn’t expect and that I loved

sarasofraz's review against another edition

2.0

I get why so many people love Dostoyevsky. His characters are often complicated, varied and very real. but I honestly did not find anything rewarding in this story.
I have not read anything else by him, so I might someday try my best at Crime and Punishment. Yet from what I know about the book I can tell it is not really something I would find interesting.

This book basically follows the incoherent ramblings of a middle-aged man who decided to marry a 16-year old girl, who out of despair/fear/panic or whatever, decided to commit suicide, after the fact. I honestly have no sympathies for the man, and found this whole story boring, annoying and frankly unreadable. it just isnt for me.

studydniowka's review

reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Czytałam to trzeci raz i za każdym razem zapominam tę historię.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide

evoulaaa's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.75