Wonderful discussion. The Idiot is an all-time favourite of mine for this very reason. Also very much prefer the 19th century realism to modernism. Dickens and Wilde are favourites Dostoevsky and Hugo are two others. I also enjoyed Eliot's Middlemarch a lot and the Brontes' works. Happy reading!
I really want to read Hugo. I jump around in a lot of centuries, although have not read a lot of contemporary works. (some). I love Eliot and am enjoying listening to and reading along with Dickens. So many great books!!
Great discussion. You've made me want to reread The Idiot. Dostoyevsky is a philosophical novelist, which might explain the talky style. He makes you think! Also congrats on reaching the end of the academic year. Nothing like that May feeling of release!
Interesting about whose writing you enjoy more, Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky. I always enjoyed Dostoyevsky more and only learned to enjoy Tolstoy much later in life. Now I enjoy them both very much. I think as a young person I was more drawn to the intensity of Dostoyevsky and his characters compared to Tolstoy's preachiness, as I saw it. Now I can appreciate Tolstoy and especially his ability to show complexity by seemingly very simple language. I still love Dostoyevsky.
I read Brothers K as a teenager in Germany and loved it so much. Came to Tolstoy later in grad school, just on my own not for a class. Read "War and Peace" and loved that too. I love them both.
To start with BK is an ambitious choice, though you are not new to big dense books :) I remember I struggled with BK, but I was only young when I read it and may need to reread. If you are new to Dostoyevsky then I'd recommend to start with Crime and Punishment, then maybe The Idiot or Demons (my personal favourite!), then if you are still enjoying the ride - The Brothers Karamazov! But this is just me. I know people who started with BK and it worked for them. Something to keep in mind is that BK is an unfinished novel.
I agree with the comment below: Crime and Punishment might be a better entry into Dostoevsky, Brothers K is quite long, you could try it and see if it grabs you? Another Russian prof colleage said The Demons is his favorite too!
Wonderful discussion. The Idiot is an all-time favourite of mine for this very reason.
Also very much prefer the 19th century realism to modernism. Dickens and Wilde are favourites Dostoevsky and Hugo are two others. I also enjoyed Eliot's Middlemarch a lot and the Brontes' works.
Happy reading!
I really want to read Hugo. I jump around in a lot of centuries, although have not read a lot of contemporary works. (some). I love Eliot and am enjoying listening to and reading along with Dickens. So many great books!!
Such an interesting review. I like that you applied the theme to your own personal experience.
I hope you enjoy your summer break!
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I am really looking forward to this summer! I hope it goes by slowly! 🙂
Great discussion. You've made me want to reread The Idiot. Dostoyevsky is a philosophical novelist, which might explain the talky style. He makes you think! Also congrats on reaching the end of the academic year. Nothing like that May feeling of release!
Thank you! Hooray for the summer! 🙂
I passed this up at a secondhand store because I hadn't heard much about it. Thanks so much for the review.
Oh it's definitely worth it, a classic for sure!
Congrats on making it through the semester! Enjoy your summer!
Thank you Heidi!!!
Interesting about whose writing you enjoy more, Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky. I always enjoyed Dostoyevsky more and only learned to enjoy Tolstoy much later in life. Now I enjoy them both very much. I think as a young person I was more drawn to the intensity of Dostoyevsky and his characters compared to Tolstoy's preachiness, as I saw it. Now I can appreciate Tolstoy and especially his ability to show complexity by seemingly very simple language. I still love Dostoyevsky.
I read Brothers K as a teenager in Germany and loved it so much. Came to Tolstoy later in grad school, just on my own not for a class. Read "War and Peace" and loved that too. I love them both.
Yay for early summer and finishing the semester. I read The Idiot many years ago but it didn’t stick with me.
It's a very strange book, but I did love it.
I do need to try Dostoyevsky. The Brothers Karamazov maybe?
To start with BK is an ambitious choice, though you are not new to big dense books :)
I remember I struggled with BK, but I was only young when I read it and may need to reread. If you are new to Dostoyevsky then I'd recommend to start with Crime and Punishment, then maybe The Idiot or Demons (my personal favourite!), then if you are still enjoying the ride - The Brothers Karamazov! But this is just me. I know people who started with BK and it worked for them. Something to keep in mind is that BK is an unfinished novel.
I agree with the comment below: Crime and Punishment might be a better entry into Dostoevsky, Brothers K is quite long, you could try it and see if it grabs you? Another Russian prof colleage said The Demons is his favorite too!