Reviews

Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov

ipb1's review against another edition

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4.0

A Moreau meets Flowers for Algernon mashup. Barking mad.

hopdot's review

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funny lighthearted fast-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

4.5

jarvvis's review against another edition

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adventurous funny 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

4.5

Imagine Frankenstein but it’s about communism this time.

I’m sure this book hits harder if you’re more familiar with the Russian Revolution than I am. As it stands, with my passing interest, I did really enjoy this. It’s an inherently funny concept, being forced to live with this weird dog man you created and worse how he’s all about the proletariat. Good stuff. 

geneticallyugly's review against another edition

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4.0

Really great and fun novella. Without the historical context, I think the reader may be a little bit confused, but with the context I think it really boosts the author’s commentary and depiction of the time.

erin_mair's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

tariqabdullah's review

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

_artsychild's review against another edition

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

3.5

It was bizarre, the narrator was confusing at times with what he was trying to say, and I had some issues with who he was talking about and about what. It could be the translation that I got, but it wasn't what I expected. 

Other than that, Bulgakov's satire about the politics of Russia was interesting.

woolfen's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 Stars.

Bulgakov was still making his foray into literature here, but with enough nostalgia of the Tsarist regime to earn the ire of censors. This book is fine: the writing in the first half of Sharik before his operation is very enjoyable, before the slightly ham-fisted metaphor about Bolshevism et al. Maybe it was just my connection with Sharik as a dog that made it harder to enjoy the rest of the book.

nikolailantsovs's review

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dark mysterious tense 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

3.5

ilseoo's review against another edition

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4.0

3.5 stars