A review by fela_feli
White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky

emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

i've been wanting to read this book for a while now because i'd heard some good things about it. and it did not disappoint! i read it from start to finish without a break because it didn't bore me for a second. i was curious to see where it was going. it was so short, i really thought nothing in the book would leave an impression on me. but i cried so much reading this 😭 and i feel like, if the topics touched in the book don't resonate with u, it would be a boring read. but it really resonated with me. when the narrator talked about his story and about wasting his youth, i immediately burst into tears. and everything he said about being a dreamer really resonated with me, too. i actually really, really like the way the book is written and how the narrator puts his thoughts into words. i feel like i could sit and listen to him all day, actually.

i do remember seeing something about white nights claiming that it's a great book about love. but this book just broke my heart man. i did think it was weird that he and nastenka "fell" for each other over the span of three nights. then again, given the kind of person the narrator is, it wasn't unsurprising that he'd cling to her. and for her, i don't believe she ever loved him. not in the way he loved her, anyway.

the ending made me cry so bad.

nastenka makes him dream, she tells him she'll learn to love him and talks about living together w him only for her to run back into the arms of a man who'd hurt her when he returns. it happened so abruptly that it actually left me in shock for a moment. but the symbolism behind it really stuck with me. people come and they go, and the dreams u have can shatter so easily just like that. it's actually heartbreaking.

i feel that this book really touched me bc of how much i resonate with themes like a wasted youth, dreaming and unrequited love. made me cry a lot so ofc it was a great read for me.