Saturday 25 April 2009

Not To Be Taken Lightly

Sorry it's taken me a while to post. I actually finished The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky (spelled that correctly this time) on Friday, but it's taken me a couple of days to digest it all.

Wow - what an intense read. This novel swept me up in its characterizations, labrynthine plot lines, and political and religious imagery almost from the first page.

I must read more about 19th century Russia...it is a time period I know very little about, and I think learning about it will help me understand the novel even better. Politics, religion, class systems - you name it, this novel touches upon it.

Having said that, the novel (to me, anyway) is first and foremost a tragic love story filled with extremely complex characters. Every character introduced by Dostoevsky is intense and passionate in their own way - and this intensity and passion manifest themselves in very different ways.

I don't want to give too much of the plot away for those who haven't read the novel, but I found myself sympathising with none of the characters, yet liking most of them at the same time. You'll have to read the book to know what I mean. Strange and alluring.

Had to switch gears...am already breezing through A Room With A View by EM Forster. Will update in a day or two (that's how quick a read it is...)

2 comments:

  1. Damn those who haven't read it! Give the plot away! I wanna hear what you think... :)

    Dostoevsky is a madman. And I'd probably fall in love with Russia and never want to leave. I could totally hole up in one of Catherine's mansions with a Russian lover. Oh yeah.

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  2. Amelia asked me not to give plots away without giving a spoiler notice first...I'll send you an email with the plot synopsis.

    Can't wait to read more Dostoevsky...he WAS mad, but in a good way. All of the characters are nuts! :)

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