Rating: 
Summary: Prose that reads like an authentic Russian text
Review: What is amazing about this book is that Coetzee's prose reads like an authentic translation into English of an original Russian text. To some that may not seem like an impressive accomplishment, or even a desirable characteristic of a novel. But think about how difficult it must have been to do this. He had to have abandoned his practiced and perfected prose in order to learn an entirely different style of writing. He must have read countless translations of Russian novels, particularly Dostoevskiy's (and perhaps even the original texts?) in order to begin to feel the cadence and rhythm of the language. The result is a feeling of period and environment that rings of authenticity. The prose actually serves as a conduit for getting closer and more intimate with the story's main character of Dostoevskiy.Other than that, this is a fairly mediocre book, certainly not worthy of mention in the same breath as Disgrace or several other works by this Nobel Prize winning author. But for lovers of things Russian or for fans of Dostoevskiy, it could be an interesting read.
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