Rating: 
Summary: philosophically justified murder
Review: A desperate, penniless student named Raskolnikov kills an old woman in her apartment for her money. Before he commits the crime, he justifies his evil plan by reasoning that she is merely a dispicable, greedy, old pawnbroker and he sees no immorality in the deed, he believes the world will be better off without her. Raskolnikov gets away with it, but he then becomes consumed with feelings of guilt which won't leave him alone. This plunges him into a hell of self-persecution, madness and terror. He goes out of his way to allow himself to be interrogated by police. Eventually, he feels a compulsive need to confess his crime, as if to ease his conscience. This classic tale will show you the depths of the criminal mind, exposing the soul of a man who is not a villain but a man possessed of both good and evil just like the rest of us, but who through poverty-stricken desperation and a selfish nihilistic personal philosophy decides to act out on his darkest impulse. Ultimately he must face the consequences of his actions. A striking and memorable morality tale.David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"
Rating: 
Summary: A must-read
Review: We had to read this for English Honors, and when I first saw how long it was, I was not looking forward to it. Although it does have a pretty thick plot, and the long names tend to be confusing, the book is generally stunning. Something you will not regret reading and that will remain with you for always.
Rating:
Summary: Good read
Review: Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment is the first classic detective story. But that is not even where it excels. With the Brothers Karamazov, it elevated Dostoyevsky to a mega writer when it comes to dissecting the mind and soul of characters for the readers. It is a great book of psychology. While it competes with Anna Karenina as the most widely read 19th century Russian novel in the English-speaking world, it is judged by many to be superior in its depth and lessons. The book's hero exemplifies all young ideologues who are wrestling with a new idea which they think can elevate them to the levels of great historic figures in their initial steps towards greatness. Often, a barrier has to be crossed which takes the potential legendary figure into an irreversible course.
In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov who is the hero is a poor, intelligent and thoughtful student who is convinced that he has a mission for the advancement of mankind. He convinces himself that the mission has to start with him crossing over to greatness by robbing and killing an old woman, a pawnbroker, whose death, he had convinced himself would do the world more good than harm. This conviction is based on his judgment that she cheats her clients and holds money that could be used for humanity. He then commits the murder, but is forced to kill the pitiful Elizabetha, the landlady's sister. The novel begins its twists and turns after these murders, with the introduction of the cunning detective who gets to investigate the murder and makes Raskolnikov his principal suspect. Raskolnikov gets to meet the destitute Marmeladovs through the alcoholic father, and is distraught by the plight of his consumptive mother, her three young children, and Sonya-Marmeladov's eighteen-year old daughter who is forced into prostitution in order to support the family.
By doing a rich psychological development of his characters, Dostoyevsky made his characters more complexly human, yet reachable. Sonya emerges as a saintly figure who sins for the sakes of those she loves , and who is the mirror through which the so-called devilish characters are redeemed. The plot is rich, deep, enjoyable and action-packed; and the pace is fast and engaging. The overriding strength of the story is the conflict in Raskolnikov's soul, a conflict which began in his quest to be the "Extraordinary Man" like Napoleon, by stepping over the basic bounds of morality by committing murder. That conflict in his soul brought out the rich ideas, discussions and emotions from the characters that interacted with him.
Also recommended: THE BROTHER KARAMAZOV, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing, drawn out and ultimately unfulfilling
Review: No matter how many good points there are to this novel I can't shake the feeling of disappointment I have after completing it. It started off brightly, piquing my interest with the story of a young man (Raskalnikoff) contemplating murder for reasons that are not initially made clear. The murder occurs and Dostoevsky then spends the next 300 pages dragging the (anti-climactic) conclusion out and telling me very little of interest in the process.
Raskalnikoff's 'Great Man' theory was the only major concept which stoked my flames of thought. From a book entitled Crime and Punishment I expected to gain insights into the nature of crime and consequently punishment. However, I acquired no new understandings about the topic and was left wondering why this novel was so widely acclaimed, or was I just not 'getting' it? From a philosophical point of view there are so few nuggets to be plucked from the pages, especially considering the amount of time invested.
This is not a bad novel by any means - there are positives. The novel is very well written with Dostoevsky skillfully painting a picture of the gloomy and miserable St Petersburg of the time, populated with diverse and intriguing characters. However, no matter how good the writing is it is content that counts and this is where the novel fell flat for me. I didn't get much out of the novel; others have; maybe you will - it's your call.
Rating:
Summary: A Literary Masterpiece
Review: What a great book! I wasn't expecting to like this book because I had to read it for a class but I really, really liked it. It's properly depressing as all great Russian novels are and is filled with deep symbolism and philosophy. This book got me hooked onto Dostoyevsky and I haven't been able to stop reading him. It's an intelligent, refreshing classic.
Also recommeded: The House of the Dead by Dostoyevsky
Rating:
Summary: Riveting
Review: I bought this book at the airport on my way to Russia convinced that I would read it while in St. Petersburg. My plans fell apart because I didn't have enough time and the beginning couldn't hold my attention.
However, I kept it, still meaning to give it another go, especially after gaining a deep appreciation and love for anything Russian. In my honors english class we read it this year and I found it an immensely stirring physcoanalysis of the criminal mind. While slow in the beginning Dosoevsky quickly made up for it with his riveting character developments. You quickly grew a strange compassion for Raskolnikov, despite the fact that he was a murderer. This is the skill of the writer.
While many would argue Raskolnikov did not recieve proper punishment, I think his mental anguish and agony was almost enough. Dostoevsky painted a rather disturbing picture of the mindset that a murder can set you into.
This translation surprised me. Before I read this book in class, I read a poorly translated version of the Death of Ivan Ilyich. By comparing this translation to that I was easily sucked into the book.
Get through the first 50 pages and the book is simply riveting, take my word for it. I can't wait to read it a second and a third time.
Rating:
Summary: Most famous, but not best
Review: C & P is Dostoyevsky's most acclaimed work, both in Russia and abroad. Quite frankly, I'm not sure why. Although I am not (yet) an expert on Dostoyevsky, I compare this work unfavorably to The Insulted and Humiliated, my introduction to Dostoyevsky. Although a relatively unheralded novel, I & H is much more emotionally charged, and involves the reader in its story almost intimately. I must say that C & P is bland by comparison. The weighty issues associated with C & P are really a side story to the love angle, which resonated with me only somewhat. Russian literature is the literature of pain and hardship (dont look for happy endings). I just did not feel as emotionally or intellectually engaged in these elements reading C & R as much as I expected to, considering the novel's reputation. I would not recommend it as an introduction to Dostoyevsky... However, it is Dostoyevsky, and it is a world classic, and thus must be read. C & P is certainly readable and moderately enjoyable. Many will find it thought-provoking. It has numerous well-developed characters and side-stories that engage the reader and catch him/her by surprise (perhaps too many, ergo the lack of an emotional bond to a specific story or character). The four stars represent the respect for the author and the work's cultural significance more then anything else. Read it once you've established a taste for Dostoyevsky (start with The Brothers Karamazov or The Insulted and Humiliated -- you wont be able to tare yourself away).
Rating:
Summary: 97% crime 3% punishment
Review: I read this book in about 12 days, which is rare for me. I really liked the characters and the flow of the story. I was satisfied of the end by the time you find out how much was in the purse. One classic down, only a few hundred to go:)
Rating:
Summary: A Powerful Story of Sin, Suffering and Redemption!
Review: Dostoevski is a powerful and wonderful author, and I have read most of his books. His books are long and complex and perhaps this particular book is the most complex of all. Dostoevsky himself spent time in prison, and his experiences and the soul searching that he did there come out in this book. The theme that runs through this book is that man inevitably pays for his crimes by suffering, and through that suffering he may in fact receive redemption. This book is about a paranoid schizophrenic by the name of Raskolnikov. He causes a lot of harm to people because of his own grandiose idea of his own superiority. But all the harm that he causes he pays for in his own tortured mind. A powerful and sometimes hard to read book because Dostoevsky's characters are so real, and we feel their pain and suffering with them as we read.
Rating:
Summary: the best book I have ever read
Review: Dostoyevsky's magnum opus is filled with literary gold. It abounds with deep philosophy and insightful psychology. Really, he only seems existentialist, and spends most of the novel disproving his protagonist's motivating theory. The philosophy is interesting, but moreso the way he refutes it. He has a way of hitting his readers over the head with Jesus--he was devoutly religious--yet he never offends even the most questioning atheists, although the ending is a bit of a let-down. His protagonist is a murderer, his Christ figure is a whore, and his descriptions are so vivid that one can literally smell the putrescence of St. Petersburg leaking from the pages. Or perhaps I had an overused copy.
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