A review by davehershey
Dostoevsky: Language, Faith, and Fiction by Rowan Williams

4.0

I am a huge fan of Dostoyevsky and I have appreciated the work of Rowan Williams in the past, so when i discovered this book, reading it was a no-brainer. But the other reviews I read here on Goodreads were correct - this is a difficult book. I was hoping for some insights on Dostoyevsky's work, which I got, but the book is really graduate-level literary criticism. Reading this demands a recollection of plot details from Dostoyevsky's four major works, so if you have not read them recently you may be hard-pressed to remember the scenes he is discussing. Honestly, early on I thought about giving up. But if you stick with it, even if you do not recall all the plot points Williams discusses, you do get some great insight into Dostoyevsky. I found most thought-provoking how Williams shows that Dostoyevsky does not tie off everything in great detail but instead leaves things open, demanding the reader to think. This is in contrast with the diabolical in his stories which seeks to control and bring an end to freedom. While the diabolical would shut down all conversation, the narrative drives us to keep it going, to give space to the other in their freedom and have continuing dialogue.

So should you read it? If you are a fan of Dostoyevsky and have read his four major works, then sure, give it a shot. I gave it four stars because on merit it is worth four, maybe five stars. But I do wish there was a more accessible book for casual readers who want to see these themes in Dostoyevsky without reading a graduate level work of literary criticism. I assume there are such books, so i can't fault Williams for not writing one, I just am not familiar with them.