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A review by spriteluver
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
11/10, 6/5, A+++, etcetera. so profound and relatable today, especially in communist circles where rehabilitation and human motivation to do evil outside of capitalism is still discussed. it is so amazing to read talking points i hear today and even recognize new ways in which they are considered because of industrialization and such. and don't even get me started on how beautifully this is written! i lost myself in raskolnikov's thoughts as he isolated himself from the world around him and fell deeper and deeper into his darkest self. his mania and depression were accurately depicted, i could feel my heart race and mouth dry as his did! dostoyevsky, you are AMAZING!!
(also, crazy to admit that anna karenina and crime and punishment parallel each other in interesting ways, whereas anna karenina is among extremely wealthy people and crime and punishment reveals the poverty and communist thought at the time, but still reach similar conclusions near the end on love and a will to live after a life of despair (bipolar in raskolnikov's and nihilism in levin's case), basically painting two portraits of a very separated time period because of imperialism and class differences! crime and punishment says things more blatantly than anna karenina imo because the experiences are much more relatable and grounded to poor ppl today, i've known people like katerina ivanovna, we all have honestly. however, editing this review in retrospect, i don't think i credited anna karenina enough for its satire and critique of wealthy structures. there is a lot to be said about both books, and i am so glad to have the unique experience of reading them closely together!!)
(also, crazy to admit that anna karenina and crime and punishment parallel each other in interesting ways, whereas anna karenina is among extremely wealthy people and crime and punishment reveals the poverty and communist thought at the time, but still reach similar conclusions near the end on love and a will to live after a life of despair (bipolar in raskolnikov's and nihilism in levin's case), basically painting two portraits of a very separated time period because of imperialism and class differences! crime and punishment says things more blatantly than anna karenina imo because the experiences are much more relatable and grounded to poor ppl today, i've known people like katerina ivanovna, we all have honestly. however, editing this review in retrospect, i don't think i credited anna karenina enough for its satire and critique of wealthy structures. there is a lot to be said about both books, and i am so glad to have the unique experience of reading them closely together!!)