Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

23 reviews

seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Vomit, and Classism

ravenstag6's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Fantastic book. Explores the mental consequences of committing a major crime. Would recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Murder

Minor: Gun violence

wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The downward spiral of a poor student was relatable.  I enjoyed my time (mostly).

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

gvstyris's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.25

I have a lot of research to do after that marathon, but man Sonya and Dunya have my heart 🫶🏻

Also, Oliver Ready is a real one for his notes 😅 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Sexual assault

quipo's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Excellent book. Dostoevsky is a genius

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, and Suicide

Minor: Gun violence, Death of parent, and Classism

cherryfreckle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming and Gun violence

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

mary_catherine's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

valreadssometimes's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.25

Reading this was a punishment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

klimatyczny_bluszcz's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

That was a piece of great literature. Glad that I have finally read it! 
I was so invested and amazed while reading. Loved how Dostoyevski layered this novel and created such psychologically complex characters. I have no idea what else to write about a literary masterpiece that so many people write and talk about. It was just a greatly good book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, and Deportation

toffishay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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

4.0

What a meaty book. I am really in awe of how Dostoyevsky can maintain tension in a 560 page book! It is interesting how the structure of a book can really make or break it. If you are intimidated by the length, I would say take your time and let yourself enjoy it instead of feeling like you need to power through. I think that it was a smart choice to break the book into 6 parts, each of which have chapters, so you have natural breaks that serve the reading experience and the story. One drawback could be that because the book is so long, the back and forth that Raskolnikov goes through in his head can feel a little repetitive at times. But overall, I think it works well for establishing how conflicted he is as a character and how out of control he truly is as well. 

 Raskolnikov's descent is described in such a gripping way and although it is certainly commentary on the times that Dostoyevsky was writing in, I saw a lot of parallels to today. Raskolnikov is an angry young man who thinks he's so much better than everyone else and so much smarter. He thinks that he has a right to his crime and to the purpose that he thinks it will give him. He is living in a world of desolation and personal despair and lashes out at everyone around him. I couldn't help but think that with Raskolnikov's disdain for human life and desire to be better than those around him, that he would have been a mass shooter if he lived today. Seeking that notoriety and committing horrible acts in the process. 

There is also very well-written commentary about relationships between men and women. There are women trapped in horrible relationships with men who continue to treat them badly and bring them low. (Katerina) Women are pushed into making difficult choices, that honestly aren't even choices, as a result of their poverty and their love of their families (Sofya). Women do everything they can to support the men in their lives and are given little to nothing in return (Dunya and Pulkheria). And all of the women in the novel are at the whim and will of men, but the novel is extremely sympathetic to them and is, primarily, on their side.

Vanity and pride are themes that are shown through many of the characters. Vanity is a driver of Raskolnikov's crime. It drives Katerina to embarrass herself publicly, putting herself in a worse physical and financial situation at every turn. Porfriy, the inspector, is driven by pride, at least in part, to find the perpetrator of the titular crime. 

I was surprised by how much love and hope were themes of the book. It definitely addressed crime and punishment, depravity and isolation. But there are instances where people are saved by the love of those around them. Like, I closed the book and felt a little like there is hope even when you are at your lowest. That it is never too late to look yourself honestly in the face and commit to change. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Vomit, Antisemitism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Pandemic/Epidemic