The Petty Demon

Rating:
Summary: Intricate maze of selfish motives in a Russian village.
Review: The Petty Demon is a turn of the century symbolistic novel set in a small Russian village. Many self-absorbed characters interact with only their own best interests in mind and attempt to deceive, mislead and cheat each other while the main character 'Peredonov' attempts to secure a school inspector's position for himself. A side plot is the unnatural relationship between Lyudmila (a young woman) and Sasha (a pre-pubescent male whom is often mistaken for a girl dressed as a boy). Lyudmila is obsessed with pagan thoughts about the young boy and pursues him in a slightly sexual manner without becoming a truly sexual relationship. Peredonov begins the novel as slightly disturbed and ends the novel by becoming completely mad and commiting murder in a fit of paranoia-induced rage.

Rating:
Summary: good, but.....
Review: there are two main characters here. perodonov and the village. P is not quite a sympathetic figure. he starts about being pathetic and patronizing. he is led to believe some untrue things which makes his actions bizzare to the village, and therefore tension starts. between ambition and reality and lack of acceptance, p starts losing his sanity. the book is at times really great, but the plot isn't carried out masterly, and some of the things in the book seem to lack relevance in the end.