The Master and Margarita

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Summary: Fantasy, History and Satire in one Brilliant Book
Review: This is a work of genius that operates on many different levels--from the hilarious adventures of Satan in Stalin's Moscow to a detailed retelling of Christ's death, all of it a subtle political satire full of vicious humor and even a touch of rage. Highly entertaining--the story of the Passion is also deeply moving

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Summary: MY FAVORITE BOOK
Review: This is my favorite book!!

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Summary: Amazing
Review: Best book I ever rea

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Summary: Goethe meets DM Thomas meets Quentin Tarantino
Review: Brilliant story combining parody, wit, sarcasm, and symbolism. Uses character sketches from Goethe, provides general plot movement like Thomas, and the conversations and story flow seem as if they were edited by Tarantino. Story is existential and pure fantasy, however, thoroughly covers Nietzche's nihilism, a spoof of the Soviet regime, a fable directly inverse to Faust, and his own personal attacks on the efficiency of the socialism/communism movement. Deep-rooted, but hysterically written

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Summary: A wonderful book
Review: This wonderful book has a delightful sense of humor and a keen insight into human strengths and weaknesses. It is amazing how realistic tongue-and-cheek can be! This novel combines fantasy/magic, satire, comedy, and a great love story. I rank this as my favorite book of all time. I've read it a gazillion times, and I bet you'll like it too!

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Summary: Faust Retold or Satan's Burlesque
Review: The Master and Margarita by Michael Bulgakov was written at the height of Stalin's reign in Russia. The story is a tale of Satan's visit to Moscow for Walpurgis Nacht juxtaposed with a tale of Christ's cruxification as told throught the eyes of an unseen observer, who later turns out to be none other than the devil. This is a tale of the indistructable love and sacrifice of the Master for his beloved Margarita. Add to this a mix of befuddled bureaucrats, self-important party officials, murder and general mayhem and you have an incredably readible modern comedy. The author says it best with the quote from Faust -- "Who art thou?", "I am he who wishes forever evil, yet does forever good."

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Summary: Looking for something different? Tired of NYT bestsellers?
Review: Whatever your preconceptions about the former Soviet Union and Russian culture, throw them out the window. THIS BOOK IS FASCINATING! You'll laugh over and over again. I was assigned to read this book and had plans to skim the pages and write my paper. This time my paper was late because I couldn't stop reading. If you think the former communist culture is God-less, think again. This book will entertain you on every page while providing fascinating highlights to Russian culture. Looking for something that's a bit off the BestSeller's list . . . Try this classic

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Summary: Wonderful prose; complex and tragic and funny all at once
Review: This is truly a remarkable book; buried beneath the rubble of Soviet censorship for twenty years, then partially uncovered, The Master and Margarita is now restored to its full passion, power and sly, striking sarcasm. With a cast of characters that includes an enormous walking, talking black cat named Behemoth, several slightly prissy Soviet writers (most of whom meet satisfying ends) and the Devil Himself, the book is all at once a comment on a writer's life under Stalin, a reworking of the stories of Pontius Pilate and Faust and at the same time, quite funny. I've only read a few books like this (The Sound and the Fury was one), where the prose seems to burn beneath your fingertips, propelling you to the end of the book. It has all the bluntness and beauty and sly wit of the best Russian literature. At one point in the novel, a character says, "manuscripts don't burn" -- what a relief that this one didn't.

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Summary: A wonderful farce
Review: Mikhail Bulgakov lived during the Stalin era in the Soviet Union. Most of his work, this title included, was banned by Soviet authorities during his lifetime. It was only many years after his death that this book was published. The book is a wonderful myth, filled with both real and mythological characters, and considers the corruptability and mortality of man. The plot involves the appearance of Satan and his retinue, including a large, black tom cat who drinks vodka, and their impact of the good comrades of the city of Moscow. People encoutering the mysterious Prof. Woland try to deal with him and his powers in a rational fashion, but soon learn that this is no way to approach the devil. The mysterious Professor soon takes over the lives of those who cross his path, sending one to an asylum and another to Yalta while a third winds up dead due to "sunflower oil". Also included in the text are stories of the passion of Christ and a sympathetic portrait of Pontius Pilate and his struggles over the crucifixion. This is an excellent fable and should be read by anybody interested in Soviet literature, or literature in general

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Summary: The hardback version is printed in RUSSIAN
Review: The hardback version of The Master and Margarita [ISBN: 5768403175} is printed in Russian. It is NOT an English translation.