Reviews

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

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spoetnik's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful inspiring mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

Some books can be studied endlessly and an ever-lasting stream of new insights will come forward. This is such a book, owing this to its chaotically edited final product, the magical realism, the countless analogies to stalinist Russia or the sometimes difficult to connect storylines. If one wants to truly understand this book do some research first, although only ex Soviet inhabitants could ever truly grasp the emotions the book is trying to convey in my mom's opinion :). Aside from all the serious stuff, the book often feels like a fairy tale and had me laughing out loud on multiple pages. Woland is definitely one of my all time favorite characters from now on!!

mjeshurun's review against another edition

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4.0

Interesting satire, mixing fantasy with ancient history and a harsh criticism of totalitarian regimes. To fully appreciate it, I recommend reading a critical review of Bulgakov's biography and how it is related to the creation of the book. This helped me understand the story and the symbolism in it much better.