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chrisstibbs's review
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Blood
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Misogyny
applesodaperson's review against another edition
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This book was honestly such a struggle to get through, but I still really enjoyed it, and am glad I finished it. Personally, I just have a really hard time with Russian literature in general. The way it is written, and the fact that every character has life three names, means it takes me a lot of brain power to read. But I will say, this book was easier to read then some other Russian lit I have read. About this book in particular, I thought it was super fun and random and whimsical, and my favorite part was Margarita becoming a witch and just destroying some guy's apartment. Speaking of Margarita though, I am confused as to why her name is in the title, when she really wasn't in the book all that much. She was just a side character, as much as Ivan Homeless was. And "The Master" part of the title isn't really even referring to Satan, the main instigator of the book, but to her lover who wrote the book about Pontius Pilate. And that's another thing, I enjoyed the biblical narrative, but I still don't quite understand what its significance to the story was. Despite being pretty confused by this book, I still did enjoy it.
Read from the Provo library.
Read from the Provo library.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
rchatterjee188's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
readingsponsoredbybts's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Slavery
mardy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cuntiest book ever
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Rape
sticky_'s review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
mikarala's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really, really hoped my rating would be higher than this.
Based on the description and what I'd heard about this novel, I honestly thought it was going to be a new favourite. Like, an absurdist story about the devil visiting 1920's/30's Soviet Moscow and getting up to hijinks and causing chaos? Sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, the matter-of-fact tone that was (I believe) meant to come across as absurdly understated just felt dull and lifeless to me. I was constantly losing track of where I was in the text due to lack of interest. I feel like the mayhem of the events of the story were not well served by the narrative style. For reference, I read the Burgin & O'Connor translation, which is the one I saw most recommended when I searched, so maybe other translations have a little more panache, but yeah, frustratingly, the writing somehow made incredibly ridiculous and absurd events seem incredibly boring. (Although, I will admit I did become somewhat more invested in the second half of the story.)
That's unfortunate, because I do think there are some really interesting themes in this novel. Bulgakov parodies the absurdity of Soviet beaurocracy, drawing a parallel with the Roman state/Pontius Pilate that crucified Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ha-Nozri in this text) out of political cowardice with the cowardly actions of modern Muscovites living under the Soviet state. The final chapters actually almost made me up my rating a bit because there are actually some pretty thought-provoking quotes about the nature of evil and how it without it, good also wouldn't exist, but ultimately 3 stars is where this book actually lands for me, even if there are some really complex and fascinating thematic elements.
Based on the description and what I'd heard about this novel, I honestly thought it was going to be a new favourite. Like, an absurdist story about the devil visiting 1920's/30's Soviet Moscow and getting up to hijinks and causing chaos? Sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, the matter-of-fact tone that was (I believe) meant to come across as absurdly understated just felt dull and lifeless to me. I was constantly losing track of where I was in the text due to lack of interest. I feel like the mayhem of the events of the story were not well served by the narrative style. For reference, I read the Burgin & O'Connor translation, which is the one I saw most recommended when I searched, so maybe other translations have a little more panache, but yeah, frustratingly, the writing somehow made incredibly ridiculous and absurd events seem incredibly boring. (Although, I will admit I did become somewhat more invested in the second half of the story.)
That's unfortunate, because I do think there are some really interesting themes in this novel. Bulgakov parodies the absurdity of Soviet beaurocracy, drawing a parallel with the Roman state/Pontius Pilate that crucified Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ha-Nozri in this text) out of political cowardice with the cowardly actions of modern Muscovites living under the Soviet state. The final chapters actually almost made me up my rating a bit because there are actually some pretty thought-provoking quotes about the nature of evil and how it without it, good also wouldn't exist, but ultimately 3 stars is where this book actually lands for me, even if there are some really complex and fascinating thematic elements.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Car accident
coramorton02's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
elizlizabeth's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Gorgeous edition, but honestly I'm dreading to ever have to re-read this. It felt like it was never going to end and I'm usually a fast reader.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Violence, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Police brutality, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Infidelity and Racial slurs
It is implied that black cats are rounded up and abused because of their appearance. The word negro is used to describe multiple black characters.