jenniamysuzy's review against another edition
I got about half way through this book and just couldn’t convince myself to pick it up and finish it. The short stories I did read were okay, but I lost motivation and have a bunch of other books I want to read before the end of the year. It’s not often I don’t finish a book, and this wasn’t even on my TBR pile, so it’s not a huge loss to me. 🤷🏼♀️
hayles's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.0
angelacao's review against another edition
5.0
amusing, existential, uncomfortable, even romantic stories about some twisted characters
favs: a gentle creature, white night, dream of a ridiculous man
favs: a gentle creature, white night, dream of a ridiculous man
pivotal's review
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
crawfordsmt's review against another edition
5.0
Here are my reviews:
I loved this book - it contains 7 short works including White Nights and the Dream of a Ridiculous Man, two of the best stories I've read. The opening lines are great. Notes from Underground starts off with "I am a sick man, a spiteful man. I believe something is wrong with my liver." Underground is the longest piece in the book, and the first half is a manic jumble, but the second half is a pretty good narrative. Like a lot of his books, these stories have shy, flawed characters trying to expose those who would exploit and intimidate others. There are not a lot of happy endings, but rather happy moments. This book is a good introduction if you haven't read any Dostoyevsky or Russian Literature. 5 stars.
I loved this book - it contains 7 short works including White Nights and the Dream of a Ridiculous Man, two of the best stories I've read. The opening lines are great. Notes from Underground starts off with "I am a sick man, a spiteful man. I believe something is wrong with my liver." Underground is the longest piece in the book, and the first half is a manic jumble, but the second half is a pretty good narrative. Like a lot of his books, these stories have shy, flawed characters trying to expose those who would exploit and intimidate others. There are not a lot of happy endings, but rather happy moments. This book is a good introduction if you haven't read any Dostoyevsky or Russian Literature. 5 stars.
glendonrfrank's review against another edition
4.0
"You see, you talk as if you were reading from a book..."
Anyone complaining that Dostoyevsky needs an editor is wrong and is kind of missing the entire thing that makes him Dostoyevsky. My first encounter with him was over three years ago now - which feels a lot longer than it sounds - with Notes From Underground. I was immediately taken by the way he depicts life; the underground man feels truly human in a way few capture. He is bumbling, awkward, self-contradictory, wrapped in anxiety, often despicable but also more comedic than I remembered. It's this trueness with how he depicts humanity that has kept me coming back to him. Sure, he writes in the same manner that the underground man and the narrator of White Nights read: his characters feel truly novelistic, filled with old stories and fleshed-out world views, but I would want it no other way. Dostoyevsky understands that the artifice allows for a deeper, truer exploration of what it means to be human.
This collection shows that in spades, painting a wide variety of protagonists with various relationships to their own humanity. A Gentle Creature stands out for the darkly macabre way its narrator misreads his entire situation, reading almost as an expansion of Browning's "My Last Duchess." These stories also show well how Dostoyevsky gets his inspiration; many of these stories are taken from a single image, a single show of pathos that grabbed his inspiration and prompted an entire narrative to be written around them. Which, of course, builds towards the Dream of a Ridiculous Man (which takes place on my birthday!). While Dostoyevsky's novels are usually painstakingly present, the Dream functions all at once as a prophetic vision for what humanity could be, what it is, and what we must not let it become. Here, the bleeding heart of Dostoyevsky's worlds is painted plainly, that even in the soul-crushing despair of humanity, he sees love, beauty, and the potential for mercy.
Anyone complaining that Dostoyevsky needs an editor is wrong and is kind of missing the entire thing that makes him Dostoyevsky. My first encounter with him was over three years ago now - which feels a lot longer than it sounds - with Notes From Underground. I was immediately taken by the way he depicts life; the underground man feels truly human in a way few capture. He is bumbling, awkward, self-contradictory, wrapped in anxiety, often despicable but also more comedic than I remembered. It's this trueness with how he depicts humanity that has kept me coming back to him. Sure, he writes in the same manner that the underground man and the narrator of White Nights read: his characters feel truly novelistic, filled with old stories and fleshed-out world views, but I would want it no other way. Dostoyevsky understands that the artifice allows for a deeper, truer exploration of what it means to be human.
This collection shows that in spades, painting a wide variety of protagonists with various relationships to their own humanity. A Gentle Creature stands out for the darkly macabre way its narrator misreads his entire situation, reading almost as an expansion of Browning's "My Last Duchess." These stories also show well how Dostoyevsky gets his inspiration; many of these stories are taken from a single image, a single show of pathos that grabbed his inspiration and prompted an entire narrative to be written around them. Which, of course, builds towards the Dream of a Ridiculous Man (which takes place on my birthday!). While Dostoyevsky's novels are usually painstakingly present, the Dream functions all at once as a prophetic vision for what humanity could be, what it is, and what we must not let it become. Here, the bleeding heart of Dostoyevsky's worlds is painted plainly, that even in the soul-crushing despair of humanity, he sees love, beauty, and the potential for mercy.
aminowrimo's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not very good at reading short stories because I end up thinking almost everything should be a novel so I could delve into everything to my heart's content. :)
White Nights
This is a sweet story with a good ending. However, while reading I felt Dostoyevsky went off on too many tangents. I'm not sure how the main character grew in this story, unless it was that he opened up to someone and made the friend.
The Honest Thief
More an anecdote than anything else. The beginning could be cut without too much trouble, and while interesting, it doesn't really stick in your mind except through the pathos of the drunk.
The Christmas Tree and the Wedding
I would have liked to have seen more of the events leading up to the 'wedding,' but the way this story is now it preserves that haunting quality. Mastakovich seems like a truly evil character.
The Peasant Marey
Probably has some hidden meaning of some sort that prevents my getting it. That or I don't have neough historical context to really understand the point of this story. The main character basically has a revelation that the peasant isn't unfeeling, as the child had been expecting.
Notes from Underground
Part I, the philosophical treatise on science and man and twice-two-is-four, is thoroughly confusing. I brought out my notebook and began taking notes, trying to figure out what the point of toothache was. I come to the conclusion that it's a test to see who can get through Part I in order to read Part II.
Part II is the actual story of the main character, who feels himself superior to everyone, and hates people in general because they behave in a certain way, or do not pay enough attention to him. I don't understand the main character—he seems perpetually drunk, first hating all the world then wishing they would be friends with him, then cursing them for not being friends with him and vowing revenge. He wants to put others down and humiliate them, but at the same time realizes what a pig he's being and wants to make amends. In short, he's human, but exaggerated so that all the worst qualities come out.
A Gentle Creature
This is the story of a 41-year-old pawnbroker who marries his 16-year-old client and makes up his mind to control her so that she will be the sort of wife he wants. At the end of the winter, she commits suicide. The story is told from the point of view of the husband, trying to figure out what led her to this decision. In my opinion, it was his controlling nature. An interesting look at being in love and wanting to control the person you're with.
The Dream of a Ridiculous Man
Lovely little story with a great imagination. I loved reading the description of the places It's nice to think that this is what the world might have been like.
White Nights
This is a sweet story with a good ending. However, while reading I felt Dostoyevsky went off on too many tangents. I'm not sure how the main character grew in this story, unless it was that he opened up to someone and made the friend.
Spoiler
I liked the ending due to the fact that Nastenka went back to the original guy. I think if she'd stuck with the main character it would have been too simple an ending.The Honest Thief
More an anecdote than anything else. The beginning could be cut without too much trouble, and while interesting, it doesn't really stick in your mind except through the pathos of the drunk.
The Christmas Tree and the Wedding
I would have liked to have seen more of the events leading up to the 'wedding,' but the way this story is now it preserves that haunting quality. Mastakovich seems like a truly evil character.
The Peasant Marey
Probably has some hidden meaning of some sort that prevents my getting it. That or I don't have neough historical context to really understand the point of this story. The main character basically has a revelation that the peasant isn't unfeeling, as the child had been expecting.
Notes from Underground
Part I, the philosophical treatise on science and man and twice-two-is-four, is thoroughly confusing. I brought out my notebook and began taking notes, trying to figure out what the point of toothache was. I come to the conclusion that it's a test to see who can get through Part I in order to read Part II.
Part II is the actual story of the main character, who feels himself superior to everyone, and hates people in general because they behave in a certain way, or do not pay enough attention to him. I don't understand the main character—he seems perpetually drunk, first hating all the world then wishing they would be friends with him, then cursing them for not being friends with him and vowing revenge. He wants to put others down and humiliate them, but at the same time realizes what a pig he's being and wants to make amends. In short, he's human, but exaggerated so that all the worst qualities come out.
Spoiler
At the end, he mildly makes up for all this by not going after Lisa, but then he goes off into his philosophical tangents again.A Gentle Creature
This is the story of a 41-year-old pawnbroker who marries his 16-year-old client and makes up his mind to control her so that she will be the sort of wife he wants.
Spoiler
she becomes depressed, at one point tries to kill him; he dissolves the marriage by buying her a separate bed; she becomes sick, they stop talking.The Dream of a Ridiculous Man
Lovely little story with a great imagination. I loved reading the description of the places
Spoiler
and about how the world deteriorated.sbeveeeeee's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
itsgs's review against another edition
5.0
I am not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book; but it sure wasn't this! Before I go into a commentary on the short stories themselves, some info on what the book itself contains is warranted.
Book's contents:
There are 7 short stories - White nights, Honest thief, Christmas tree & a wedding, Peasant Marey, Notes from underground, A gentle creature and Dream of a ridiculous man. Notes from Underground actually qualifies more as a novella than a short story, given its length. These 7 are chronologically presented based on when Dostoyevsky wrote them (with one exception).
Writing style and topics:
The chronological presentation of the short stories actually presents some interesting insights. The early stories are more hopeful, satirical, somewhat joyous and heartful. The lead character is a positive person - a hero, if you will. As the book evolves to the period after Dostoyevsky's imprisonment, the tone becomes more cynical, humor disappears, characters spend many pages stating views or reflecting on existential questions, and plots get more psychologically complex. The leads become dark characters - anti-heros.
Thoughts on the works themselves:
This is my first attempt at Dostoyevsky - picked up this book without any knowledge of or expectations on the nature of the content/ writing. My only goal was to read what many consider the world's foremost literary figure, without having to commit to a longer book not knowing if I would like the author.
Many of the stories don't really have a plot in the traditional sense. They are often a series of incidents that shed light into the personalities of the characters, and ultimately into human psyche. Most of the lead characters are lonely "dreamers". Once the writing segues into the "anti-hero" archetype; they are also selfish, self-aggrandizing, self-criticizing, self-contradicting. But they are never alien. To his credit, Dostoyevsky manages to make them relatable, even when they are less desirable human beings.
Many of the ideas presented in the book - internet tells me- are rebuttals or opinions about popular schools of thought at that time. I didn't think this background knowledge was necessary to appreciate or even ponder the thoughts presented. I loved them - especially the way existentialism was tackled in the last story - Dream of a Ridiculous Man. Where they became a bit much for me was in Part 1 of Notes from Underground. This - I must admit - made for a somewhat tedious read. It gave a feel of reading an essay, and not a short story. Ideas - while thought provoking - were repetitive, so while I "got" them, I also drifted off a fair bit.
All in all, I liked the collection and Dostoyevsky's style. I am looking forward to picking up Brothers Karamzov sometime later in the year.
Book's contents:
There are 7 short stories - White nights, Honest thief, Christmas tree & a wedding, Peasant Marey, Notes from underground, A gentle creature and Dream of a ridiculous man. Notes from Underground actually qualifies more as a novella than a short story, given its length. These 7 are chronologically presented based on when Dostoyevsky wrote them (with one exception).
Writing style and topics:
The chronological presentation of the short stories actually presents some interesting insights. The early stories are more hopeful, satirical, somewhat joyous and heartful. The lead character is a positive person - a hero, if you will. As the book evolves to the period after Dostoyevsky's imprisonment, the tone becomes more cynical, humor disappears, characters spend many pages stating views or reflecting on existential questions, and plots get more psychologically complex. The leads become dark characters - anti-heros.
Thoughts on the works themselves:
This is my first attempt at Dostoyevsky - picked up this book without any knowledge of or expectations on the nature of the content/ writing. My only goal was to read what many consider the world's foremost literary figure, without having to commit to a longer book not knowing if I would like the author.
Many of the stories don't really have a plot in the traditional sense. They are often a series of incidents that shed light into the personalities of the characters, and ultimately into human psyche. Most of the lead characters are lonely "dreamers". Once the writing segues into the "anti-hero" archetype; they are also selfish, self-aggrandizing, self-criticizing, self-contradicting. But they are never alien. To his credit, Dostoyevsky manages to make them relatable, even when they are less desirable human beings.
Many of the ideas presented in the book - internet tells me- are rebuttals or opinions about popular schools of thought at that time. I didn't think this background knowledge was necessary to appreciate or even ponder the thoughts presented. I loved them - especially the way existentialism was tackled in the last story - Dream of a Ridiculous Man. Where they became a bit much for me was in Part 1 of Notes from Underground. This - I must admit - made for a somewhat tedious read. It gave a feel of reading an essay, and not a short story. Ideas - while thought provoking - were repetitive, so while I "got" them, I also drifted off a fair bit.
All in all, I liked the collection and Dostoyevsky's style. I am looking forward to picking up Brothers Karamzov sometime later in the year.
lain1's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0