Rating: 
Summary: Look into the soul of a man preoccupied with testing himself
Review: The book revolves around one character, Roskalnikov, a student bored with his mundane life. To test his metal he turns to a life of questions. The questions are not of the universe or a god, but rather can he control his mind enough to commit murder and walk away mentally unscathed. The blood is shed somewhat easily. But, from the time he does the horrific deed until the last page is turned, Roskalnikov is deafened by the voices of his own mind. The character is kempt unslovenly and talks with no one. His friends are rejected along with his own family. All this is in the name of self-test, guilt, and guile.
While the pages may turn slow at parts, as do the typical Russian novel, you will be enraptured by the thought process of Roskalnikov. His fears, visions, hopes and dreams become your own. If you can stand the sheer monotony of a volume of emotion, you will read a truly classic novel.
Rating:
Summary: Incredibly powerful, perfect for college-age males
Review: The story of Raskolnikov is one of the most suspenseful in all of fiction. Murder, deception, lust, political activism- you name it, it's in here. To heighten the fear of life in prison or even execution, Raskolnikov is only in his early 20s, making it easy for a large, impressionable part of the population to identify with him. I would have no problem reading this book multiple times
Rating: 
Summary: Pure intellectual torture...
Review: "Crime and Punishment" is a painful, but worthwhile read, as it explores the mind of the kind-hearted Raskolnikov and his psychological journey to hell amidst poverty and corruption. Somehow, Dostoyevsky's magical ability to play with words forces the reader to like Raskolnikov and to attempt to justify his evil actions. Suspenseful and exhausting, the reader will find Raskolnikov's sins and redemption to be overwhelming and awe-inspiring in this must-read-classic
Rating:
Summary: Dostoyevsky's Philosophy of Religion, Intellect, and Guilt
Review: Fydor Dostoyevsky develops the Russian modern literary/
philosophy theory in his early novel Crime and Punishment.
The discourse of the novel runs through the moral implication
of morality and society. The morality therefore becomes saturated with propaganda that the criminal is actaully a victim of magnified guilt. However, he and the prostitute represents oppressed members of a religiously stereotyping society. Therefore, Dostoyevsky blurs the truth of law and religion by staining the absolute evil of a moral guilt.
Rating:
Summary: You Think You've Got Problems?
Review: I spent a few long winters in a tiny mountain town in Colorado, where cabin fever is elevated to the level of a serious illness, pneumonia or Lyme disease. One winter some of us thought we'd make ourselves feel better by reading a novel set in a truly cold place -- we thought maybe reading about Russia would make Colorado seem almost tropical and that would be nice for everyone involved. So a group of us took turns reading Crime and Punishment aloud. C&P, as we began to call it, is so exciting that during our reading hours at least, we forgot about the snow and the ice that formed on the insides of our windows and the fact that we were all broke and so on. Raskolnikov, the main character, (he introduces himself to people by saying, "Raskolnikov, a former student," the way someone else might introduce himself as the president of a corporation) vividly embodies the pain, paranoia, solitude, boredom, and desperation that everyone feels at some point, on some level. Except Raskolnikov feels these things nagging at him all the time, on an intensive twenty-four hour basis, and he behaves very badly on his quest to become free of his demons. He kills an old lady and her sister (that's the Crime part), but the Punishment part of the book is what's truly compelling. Raskolnikov's journey through the depths of guilt, and his reach for redemption, make for some of the finest reading around. Use it to warm yourself on a chilly night or take it to the beach, but don't miss this heart-warming page-turner
Rating:
Summary: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Review: In the world in which we live, it is nearly impossible
to not reach a time in our lives when we feel that there is
nothing. A time when we feel that all we have done in our lives was in vain and now we do not know what to do with
ourselves. In the novel Crime and Punishment by Fyodor
Dostoevsky, a man by the name of Roskolnikov goes through just this type of phase. Roskolnikov finds himself lost. He feels that his life
is leading him nowhere and he wants to do something about it.
The measures he takes to acquire a state of peace are what
makes this novel a masterpiece. He goes to such an extreme
as to take another person's life just so he can feel
important once again. That is the crime. The punishment,
though, is not as clear. Almost the entire novel is his
punishment. Roskolnikov's punishment is the torture he undergoes as his mind slowly reaches insanity. The novel
delves deep into the mind of Roskolnikov as he reaches out
for others in the physical world to heal what he is feeling
inside himself. From the moment he commits the crime he is
struck with a feeling of regret, and this feeling grows
until it reaches the point of complete take-over of his
body and mind.
As in every Russian text, it can get confusing at
times because of the many names given to characters, and
the questionable points in the interpretation of the novel.
Looking beyond this, though, one can see the genius of it as
the plot unravels and connections are made. The great
appreciation I have for this book comes from the fact that
it is simplicity at its finest. The world is a crazy place,
and we must learn to cope with it as it comes along.
Further reading:
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky; War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy; Fathers and Sons by Turgenev
Rating:
Summary: Tortured Genius or Conceited Ego?
Review: Dostoevsky's mastery of character shines in the first pages of
this lesser studied novel (written at the same time Tolstoy
was writing War and Peace). An impoverished law student contemplates
the morality of murdering an immoral person so that good can
come from her accumulated wealth. Isn't endowed genius meant
to destroy the mean and malicious? Dostoevsky graphically shows
the internal struggle until actoin must be taken or insanity
will ensue. An emotional roller coaster on both philosophical
and ethical grounds filled with twists and keen ironies. Start
this book when you have some time on your hands--you won't be
putting it down for a long while.
Also, for you television mystery fans, you will be enchanted
with a Columbo-like character that shows up in the final
chapters.
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
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