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aristarcodisamo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting
Minor: Racial slurs, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
tamara_joy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol
biobeetle's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexism, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and Alcohol
emmi_lee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gun violence and Misogyny
Minor: Infidelity, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism
seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
marianneiriss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Satan comes to Moscow to throw his annual ball, and in the process of organising this his entourage makes mischief across the city. Woven between chapters describing the effects of this devilry, there are chapters set in Biblical Yershalaim -Jerusalem- capturing the internal turmoil of Pontius Pilate as he pronounces judgement on criminals brought before him. In addition to these two strands of the novel, Bulgakov incorporates a third theme- the romance between a woman called Margarita and the man who she calls the Master, a struggling writer. As the book progresses, these three stories intertwine in a surreal, and often humorous, but still at times extremely poignant, tale.
I can understand that this book is not for everyone: the satirical portrayal of the literary and bureaucratic circles in Bulgakov's Moscow does not make for easy reading. I would recommend taking the time to check the footnotes if your edition includes them, as without the context they provide (unless you are an expert in '30s Soviet intellectuals) some of the humour may go over your head!
In contrast, the tomfoolery between Satan's cat Behemoth, who has a penchant for vodka and primus stoves, and Koroviev, the man who organises most of the mischief in the devil's name, is amusing even without flipping back and forth to the footnotes - I thought the chapters focussing on them were some of the best in the book (alongside the story of Pontius Pilate, which whilst entirely different in tone, is also extremely well portrayed)
Overall, an extremely strange book, but well worth the effort it requires to understand it. If you enjoy Russian literature, surrealism, satire, talking cats and naked witches, and even a bit of Biblical retelling, you will enjoy this!
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
clarathromycin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Death and Alcohol
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Fire/Fire injury
wishbea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Infidelity and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Medical content
mateoj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, and Alcohol
elizlizabeth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
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.