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A review by steve_t
The Master and Margarita / Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov
3.0
I love the concept and that were some great and funny scenes, but I just couldn't get into the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation. It was very hard for me to connect with the writing, so that even though I loved the premise, I rarely got immersed. Everything also felt disjointed and had too many characters.
The idea of associating the disappearances caused by the Soviet secret police with the actions of Satan was very clever and well done. I love the focus on Pontius Pilate and the vice of cowardliness. The mix of the supernatural with rational explanations was a really nice critique and the overall themes were great.
A mixed reaction from me, but I really think it was a problem with the translation (although I normally love Pevear and Volokhonsky) rather than with the story itself. I may have to reread again in the future.
The idea of associating the disappearances caused by the Soviet secret police with the actions of Satan was very clever and well done. I love the focus on Pontius Pilate and the vice of cowardliness. The mix of the supernatural with rational explanations was a really nice critique and the overall themes were great.
A mixed reaction from me, but I really think it was a problem with the translation (although I normally love Pevear and Volokhonsky) rather than with the story itself. I may have to reread again in the future.