The Brothers Karamazov

Rating:
Summary: Staggering Intelligence
Review: I hesitate to even write a review for this book. I hesitate because I am afraid that someone might read it, dislike the review and thus refuse to pick the book up and read it. So I start beforehand and say: do not at all be discouraged by the idiocy of this review, only be encouraged by the fact that I decided to write it, because I haven't reviewed a book in a long time.

_The Brothers Karamazov_ is the most intelligent book that I have ever read. Its intelligence is perplexing not because it is hard to understand, but rather because you cannot believe that another human could come up with these ideas. Fyodor Dostoevsky, I can now say this after reading three of his books, is the greatest writer of all time, at least as he is compared to the other authors that I have dabbled in. The characters in his books are all complex and never static. They evolve with the story and their emotions are so palpable that you feel as if you are not only inside the book, but also inside that very characters head. Dostoevsky was the master psychologist. We all know what Nietzsche said about him, and I say that we all have something to learn from him.

Back to this book specifically. You are familiar with its plot just by the summary Amazon.com provides you with: it is the story of three/four brothers. Every one of these brothers is so unique and different. Some of the negative criticism I have read on the website has said that it is hard to keep track of the characters. I disagree, and I do because I think that you either like or dislike all of the characters, not just the brothers, so much that you remember them and once that they open their mouths you know who is speaking. The dynamic that exists between the brothers is beautiful; because you know that deep down they all want to do the right thing. The problem exists because, with the exception of Alyosha, none of them know how to go about it. Dmitri is blinded by the love that he has for a seemingly unattainable woman, and the hurt and jealousy he feels because of his father. Ivan is the intellectual, who can't juxtapose a loving God and a cruel world. Alyosha is the "sane" character in all of this. He represents Dostoevsky's Christian principles in human form. I won't speak of the "alleged" fourth brother, other than to say that the actions he takes are probably the most interesting in the book.

I cannot say enough about this book. There are certain passages that make you want to weep from sadness, and others where you feel you will weep from joy. I personally loved my translation, and from looking at the bookstore yesterday, and reading certain passages from other translations, I believe that the best translation is the much acclaimed Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky version.

But enough of my little diatribe. I have said my peace on this book, and I hope that I have conveyed at least a tenth of my feelings about it. It is simply astounding.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best novels ever written
Review: It's no exaggeration to say that I found BK to be by far the most engaging, emotionally satisfying novel I've ever read - which is stunning, considering it was written over a century ago and had to endure the painful process of translation to English. It is a book that is not afraid to grapple with the Big Questions: the existence of God and the Devil, the loss and rebirth of faith, the depths of human misery and triumph. Dostoevsky (as anyone who read Crime & Punishment can attest) is unbeatable when it comes to exploring the human psyche. In BK, he merely ups the ante by taking the reader on a journey into the minds of three very different young men - all siblings, all forced to deal with a tragedy and its aftermath. The first portion of the novel builds slowly, climaxing in Dostoevsky's famous chapter "The Grand Inquisitor". Following is an intricate criminal investigation and courtroom drama, a probing of the question of "moral guilt" vs. "actual guilt", and a spellbinding confrontation with the Devil. Perhaps more than any other work of fiction, BK succeeds in its aim of exploring the Big Questions and their relation to human nature. It's a novel that truly affects the way one looks at the world and at oneself.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, but tedious
Review: The Elder Zosima, a character in the book, had the almost psychic ability to understand a person just by looking at them. Fyodor Dostoevsky apparently had the same ability, judging from his intimate knowledge of so many different personalities. Each character differs from the others, yet good and evil wrestle in each of them, leaving the reader feeling that Dostoevsky can peep even into the souls of his readers.

It is a haunting story not only because of the psychological content, but also the philosophical questions which reach to the core of life's meaning. How can there be a God if there is so much evil in the world? And yet if there is no God, how could a murderer's conscience drive him to the point of insanity or suicide?

Though the themes and characters are fascinating, the length of dialogues and number of characters are overwhelming. Both attorneys in the book gave speeches that were three chapters long, Ivan's was two chapters long, and the Elder Zosima gave a farewell address that lasted six chapters! All of these lectures are made even more tedious by the many names and characters that require the reader to page back through the book to simply remember when each character was introduced. I'm sure that if today's publishers were the first to read the book, they would chop out a huge percent of the ponderings and lectures, and insist that each character maintain just one name. Yet the book would be far less stimulating if it were chopped. Potential readers should prepare their minds for not just a simple narrative, but also a text on philosophy and psychology.

Rating:
Summary: A dark, affecting look at man's soul (or lack thereof)
Review: In his most comprehensive (and not coincidentally, his final) masterpiece, Dostoyevsky addresses and discusses a number of the most fundamental and universal issues which face man. His multiple perspectives are embodied in seperate characters -- taken together, these characters form the whole of the Karamazov family, and these perspectives constitute the whole of Dostoyevsky's view.

Each of the brothers represents a distinct school of thought or values -- the impulsive Dmitri portrays the instinctive and carnal desires of man; the nihilist, Ivan, displays the cold and unforgiving intellectual, governed by the rules of logic alone; the religious Alyosha, student to the Great Elder Zossima, depicts the humble and devout spiritualist. While the murder of their father, Fyodor Karamazov, is the catalyst to the real action of the book, it is certainly not the central focus -- a fact that might be surmised in light of the fact that the murder is not carried out until more than halfway through the text.

Instead, the work is a discussion and analysis of man's values and beliefs, and an affirmation of Dostoyevsky's fundamental conviction: that the presence of the human spirit cannot be denied without disastrous results, and that despite the assertions of the nihilists, God is a necessary element in the world of man.

Rating:
Summary: Great Dostoyevsky book!
Review: God, murder, a love triangle, and a trial, these are the things that Dostoyevsky loves to write about. Unlike the Idiot, where I felt there was a overemphasis on Prince Myskin, I felt that each of the three brothers, Dmitry, Ivan, and Aloysha had their own equal emphasis and character development.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: This book took me three months to read but it was well worth it. The character development and plot will not let you put this book down. I could see the traits of the characters in many people I have meet throughout my like. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Essential Dostoevsky, beginners maybe start elsewhere
Review: The Brothers Karamazov is a magnificent piece of literature. Anyone the least bit familiar with Fyodor Dostoevsky will easily spot his hand at work here, which means some familiar ground for readers of other works by the author. This is not at all negative, however; this volume overflows with illuminating, thought-provoking Dostoevsky ideas.

The Constance Garnett translation is somewhat awkward; I find Garnett overly monotonous and convoluted. Though Dostoevsky is no quick nor casual read, his text was certainly confused in some of Garnett's meandering passages. I feel other translators do a more concise and entertaining job, while keeping the same ideas intact, though I've only briefly read other translations.

To give evidence to my critique, the notes on translation in the back of my text indicate some issues, including the title itself! Instead of "The Brothers Karamazov," the book should probably be "The Karamazov Brothers." As editor Ralph E. Matlaw states, "we do not refer to 'the brothers Kennedy'," and I'll mention "the sisters Hilton." On the bright side, I feel the strange title makes the book feel more "foreign" and exotic.

Matlaw also states Garnett doesn't just confuse the reader with some language, but actually simplifies and cleans up other language, turning at least one character into a more polished version than Doestoevsky probably intended. Thankfully, Garnett's peculiarities become familiar and comfortable. Overall, this book is sufficiently readable.

Of note to first-time Dostoevsky readers is the extreme number of characters quickly introduced near the beginning of the book, with the traditional cavalcade of Russian names, surnames, and nicknames. This is no deficiency of the translator, but rather a difficulty inherent with the source text.

Fans of Dostoevsky may simply be wondering: is this worth the time to read? After taking in all 700+ pages, I can answer a resounding yes. Ideas introduced in earlier works are here fleshed out into living, breathing, bleeding human beings. I feel the characters are some of the most real I've ever encountered in literature. The variety in people eases the reader's process of identifying with a character; I identified with multiple throughout the book.

For those being introduced to Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment may be better, simply because Karamazov has a slow, disorienting beginning. However, if you enjoy the Russian master, you will relish in the delight of Karamazov.

Rating:
Summary: There's no such thing as a great novel
Review: While cultural pundits try to convince you that some literature is better than other literature, the truth is that all art is relative to individial tastes. Thus, it doesn't make any sense to think that a novel like this one is really any better than say, Michael Crichton or Stephen King. Aesthetic standards can't be grounded.

Thus, don't listen to anyone who tries to distinguish between "serious" works of literature like this one and allegedly "lesser" novels. The distinction is entirely illusory, because no novels are "better" than any others, and the concept of a "great novel" is an intellectual hoax.

Rating:
Summary: Who Killed the Father?
Review: You won't know for a long, long time which of his 4 sons comitted the parricide, but everything is revealed and explained in the end. I know people who have begun this book but not been able to finish it because of its turgid, over-long quality. The plot is okay, but way too slow and drawn-out, way too padded out with unnecessary philosophical and theological dialogue that distracts you from the storyline and adds little to it. Read "Crime and Punishment" instead, it's more gripping and much more compactly written, a far more engaging murder novel by the same indisputable master.

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

Rating:
Summary: Yes it is good
Review: The philosophy and all that stuff is the best part. The actual plot is kinda slow at first. I must admit the mystery was better than I expected. The Grand Inquisitor is the most thought provoking part, along with the Monk section. Almost as good as War and Peace. Alessandro Manzoni's The Betrothed is a good companion to these two. All these authors are not just good novelists. They make us think and reflect on our own lives and actions.