Great summary, really enjoying your summaries. Some monks were obviously delighted to comment on the smell as a way of expressing their jelousy of his popularity, that was the real bad smell!
I also read the life of Zosima chapters as counterpoint, albeit a bit unconvincing, to the Grand Inquistor. I could even see a lesser novelist ending the book there. But thankfully dostoevsky doesnt stop short, takes it further to create a much richer, layered story. Though I wonder how much of that "writing" by Alyosha was meant as foreshadowing for the second book that never was. The "cant be a saint if your corpse smells" scenes are hilarious. Especially Father Therapont (ferapont?) bursting in to smite his imaginary friends. Reminds me of 80s televangelists casting out demons.
This is my first time reading The Brothers and I have avoided spoilers. I feel the most comfortable in the monastery because I understand that world. I loved the episodes of Fr. Z’s life and rejoiced in Alyosha’s Cana vision. I think the putrid smell was a way to find out the true believers and it didn’t take long to reveal the true colours of the rest. I find the world outside the monastery very over the top in behaviours and personalities. I found The Grand Inquisitor chapter manic and obsessive on Ivan’s part, although masterfully written. The part I find funny is Mytry running around like a headless chicken trying to get the 3000 rubles. It’s like a Marx brothers movie. I laughed out loud. Deb
@@MayberryBookclub I always love the books of Dostoyevsky and I'm planning to read all of them so I'm not surprised about him anymore. He is a legendary. And thank to you for videos :)
Great summary, really enjoying your summaries. Some monks were obviously delighted to comment on the smell as a way of expressing their jelousy of his popularity, that was the real bad smell!
I also read the life of Zosima chapters as counterpoint, albeit a bit unconvincing, to the Grand Inquistor. I could even see a lesser novelist ending the book there. But thankfully dostoevsky doesnt stop short, takes it further to create a much richer, layered story. Though I wonder how much of that "writing" by Alyosha was meant as foreshadowing for the second book that never was. The "cant be a saint if your corpse smells" scenes are hilarious. Especially Father Therapont (ferapont?) bursting in to smite his imaginary friends. Reminds me of 80s televangelists casting out demons.
This is my first time reading The Brothers and I have avoided spoilers. I feel the most comfortable in the monastery because I understand that world. I loved the episodes of Fr. Z’s life and rejoiced in Alyosha’s Cana vision. I think the putrid smell was a way to find out the true believers and it didn’t take long to reveal the true colours of the rest. I find the world outside the monastery very over the top in behaviours and personalities. I found The Grand Inquisitor chapter manic and obsessive on Ivan’s part, although masterfully written. The part I find funny is Mytry running around like a headless chicken trying to get the 3000 rubles. It’s like a Marx brothers movie. I laughed out loud. Deb
That whole sequence with Dmitri running around looking for 3,000 Roubles is just great, and some parts are laugh out loud funny!
I see your point about the life of the starets as balance but it chunks of it were a bit of a chore to read for me compared to the book generally.
I agree it's a departure, and significantly less exciting than the main story.
I read the brothers Karamazov now and I don't want a spoiler so I'll come to listen after finish the book 🤭
Oh nice! How are you liking the book?
@@MayberryBookclub I always love the books of Dostoyevsky and I'm planning to read all of them so I'm not surprised about him anymore. He is a legendary. And thank to you for videos :)