The Brothers Karamazov (Penguin Classics) Kindle Edition

If you're going to tackle a big foreign book, I think it's critical to have a colorful, engaging translation. If it's too dry, the book will likely prove too much (at least to me).An example of McDuff's translation: when he translates how a poor couple has been putting aside money for savings he says, "They had a pathetic little nest egg." There's a sense of empathy, irony and depth to that voice. In Pevear the same passage as I recall is something like "They had a small savings." The narrative voice McDuff brings out is just richer.I like some of the Pevear translations: Crime and Punishment was good, and The Double, and Notes from the Underground. I re-read just about the whole repetoire of Dostoevsky's novels every 2-3 years, and I just couldn't get through the drier Pevear translation for Karamazov.

I was led to believe I would be buying the translation by David McDuff, but what I got was the translation by Constance Garnett that is available all over the Internet for free!

David McDuff is the best of the Dostoevsky translators and unquestionably the most readable for the English reader. The much vaunted P&V translations are probably more "technically" correct but what you gain in precision you lose in narrative drive, clarity and the storytelling itself. If you're only going to read one translation, read this one and leave the P&V for the pure academics to parse.

Was looking to read the Kindle translation by Pevear/Volokhonsky. The book authors on the title listing is incorrect for the Kindle version. The actual translator for the Kindle version I received is Constance Garnett. I did tons of research on translators and wanted Pevear/Volokhonsky version. Returned this Garnett Kindle version.

havent finished the book but so far its great. Would like to say my book came with a picture of a young asain man holding what looks to be an offbrand jenga box at a party with an awkward smile on his face. Loved that bonus. Using it as my bookmark and telling all my friends he’s my boyfriend.

I recently accomplished a big one by reading this book "cover to cover," or its equivalent onthe screen. As some other reviewers have noted, it is one of the most difficult things youwill ever read but also one of the most beautiful and inspiring. In 1998 in my first semesterof college, I was taking Russian Government and Politics. I had heard of Crime and Punishment,but the prof said the greatest one by Dostoyevsky is The Brothers Karamazov. Then towardthe end of my seminary career in Problem of Evil we studied The Grand Inquisitor poemor chapter which was one of the highlights of the course along with Job. Over the yearsin my nonfiction reading Ivan and Alyosha have been constant conversation partners ona number of themes. But as I said, I had never read the whole book. I don't know muchabout the different translations that reviewers have mentioned. I did find it helpful toget a list of the characters. In Russian they often address the person by the first andmiddle name, and the brothers have the same middle name so it looks like it's theirlast name. But I echo the advice of others to just plow through it. Some find thedigressions long, and of course it is long but it towers as one of the most powerfulnovels in the history of the world, so just trust that it's worth it to keep going. Butthat doesn't mean to rush, because there are moments where it's worthwhile topause and meditate on what is being said and done in the story.

One of the better classics that uses a strong story line and sub plots to allow the author to develop his views on humanity, theology, and culture in a non-preaching manner. It is not the Russian novel that frightens people away (2,000 pages, 1,000 characters, each with 12 names) nor is it slow and boring.As is the case of most older classics the beginning is more of a background setting than a hook which is common in this form of writing. These are all important facts though in describing the family which is the main plot. Then the story moves on into what today would have been book one in a serial, which again is a trait of older classics.Between the different but related stories and an enormous amount of detail, which is a good learning tool to aspiring authors, Brothers becomes long but Dostoevsky keeps it entertaining because of the additional sub plots and conflicts this requires.Brothers is not the type of book a person reads to see the main conflict, result, and how the protagonist is better for the experience. While that happens it happens in greater detail than current novels. Basically, this is a book to sit back and enjoy over a period of time. And it makes the reader think.

'The Brothers Karamazov' is a masterpiece, considered one of the best novels of all time. Many of humanity's greatest minds hail this book as the most important literary work. I enjoyed it very much and recommend it to anyone with a good attention span and the ability to get out of one's comfort zone. Yes, there are some dark themes, it is hard work, full of long soliloquies, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

It has been ages since I last read this story, but I felt like gorging myself on quite a large novel and have been relaxing and reading this masterpiece. This particular book was the last completed novel by Dostoevsky before his untimely death by pulmonary haemorrhage.This book came about due to things that Dostoevsky had started to write but had never finished, and thus he incorporated some of those elements into this, and whilst writing this his son tragically died and thus the character, indeed the hero of the book, Alyosha is named after him. The narrator of this tale who is never named also arguably becomes a character as we hear his thoughts and evaluations on certain matters throughout.With philosophical and religious thoughts and ideas overshadowing this tale this does become quite deep and thought provoking. In the way this is set out we sort of have two interrelated tales, with one half being an introduction to the characters, and the second half being a tale of murder and theft. It is this structure that does put some people off from completing this, but it does work, and very well. By the second part we have become very familiar with the characters, and how they behave and their individual foibles.With a father having three sons, one by one marriage, the other two by a second marriage, we also are led to believe that he possibly has another, illegitimate son who he doesn’t recognise as such but employs in his home. As the father is murdered and money disappears, so one son becomes the prime suspect, but is he the murderer? We follow onto the trial here before this novel reaches its conclusion.With numerous literary references and in a couple of cases stories within the main tale this is something that does become quite complex. There is also not really that much description here, this mainly becomes a character driven tale with their actions and voices at the forefront. As an allegory as such of society moving towards a more modern material one this works well, and we can also perceive Dostoevsky’s dreams of a more just and thoughtful society where hopefully things will be better. What does come over really well here are the events leading to murder, and we are made to think of other people’s actions that made it possible for the actual murder to take place. As such this is always well worth reading, and is very rewarding.

This book is almost impossible to categorize. Essentially, it is a complex "whodunnit", but it is so much more. Like many people, I had started the book many years ago but failed to finish it. I know why. The first one third is slow, repetitive and dominated by philosophy and religious dogma. I became very impressed with the author's knowledge of the Christian bible, which is quoted extensively and the references are often subtle. The central characters are three Russian brothers - Dmitri, Ivan and Alyosha. They are very different but love one another despite their hedonistic, selfish and greedy father. Much of the book consists of a series of frantic and breathless conversations between the brothers, the father, the monks in a local monastery and the women whose love ensnares the brothers and the father. This style of writing made me think of a play with the scenes moving on from act to act. Rather like Thomas Hardy, the author introduces a parallel theme based on the "peasants" and their children. This aspect is handled tenderly and with more than a little reflection on the true meaning of life. The murder is dealt with in an exciting and dramatic manner, though I found the eventual trial to be overly long and repetitive. The final moments of the book deal with the central need for forgiveness if one wishes peace of mind. Writing on a grand scale, but I am fairly sure that 9 out of 10 who start the book will not finish it since it was written at a time when taking several weeks to read a book would be a blessing, not a chore!

Completed on 22nd May 2019 taking over a month to read. I remember being very impressed by Crime and Punishment. Perhaps my expectations were too high or maybe I didn’t choose the best translation; I did not find it an easy or fulfilling read. I am glad I have completed it and regard it as a show off book like Tristan Shandy , 100 Years of Solitude or Ulysses. It got better after the first 40%. I read it on kindle and was constantly checking what percentage I was up toIt is too long and I didn’t find the characters sympathetic or easy to relate to. I felt that Dmitri deserved to be convicted even though he hadn’t killed his father as he seemed a very violent man who could throw a pestle at the kind old servant Grigory who had brought him up. The women are mostly mad or hysterical. I felt much more could have been written about Smerdyakov’s character and his motivation for the murder.But it is a book ahead of it’s time the origin of Crime fiction with its courtroom dramas and denouements (Smerdyakov’s detailed confession). There is also humour at times - Dmitri’s visit to the drunken Lyagavy and Trifon Borissovitch pulling up floor boards in his Inn to look for the missing money. Descriptions of madness were very real especially of Captain Snegiryov at the funeral.

this book in particular was only a part of the novel and didn't say anything about this 'detail'! I had to buy another, with the complete text!

There were large chunks of this that were a treatise on man’s inhumanity to man with an added chunk of angst mixed in with inner demons. Indigestible and tiring. However where you have the opportunity to enjoy the characters of the three brothers and appreciate them as ciphers for the Russian national character the reading pace and enjoyment levels pick up. I think I am pleased I have read it, but part of me hankers for the easy life of the normal rubbish I read.

Mind blowing book. Never have I or will I encounter such an author who really looks deep into human lives as Dostoevsky does. He asks such deep psychological questions about life from the point of view from numerous fascinating characters. A very long read (took me 3 months to read), but certainly worth the effort.

Bad parenting. A son and father in love with the same girl. The younger brother as peacemaker. Gives up his monks robes when his mentor dies and is decried when his body starts to stink. The father is killed. The son is accused. Religion and the Russian mentality are challenged. The son is tried. Is Mitya convicted. And does anyone get Gruschenka? Read it and find out. This is not a spoiler!

This novel gives a fascinating insight into Russian life and thought in the 19th century. It combines character study and a whodunnit mystery in the process. It is sympathetic to a Russian orthodox view of life, but reading the New Testament itself would give a far better understanding of Christianity. Nevertheless the implications of atheism are spelled out: “If there is no God, everything is permitted”.

Great story but not easy to read. The characters all have several names. In the Russian language people are now by their formal name plus several diminutives and this leads to a problem of working out who's who. I have started this book several times but never finished it before. The Kindle "look up" facility has made the book more readable.

After approximately 3 years of dropping in and out of this beautifully written, joyful, cruel and expansive novel, I'm finished. A fantastic journey and I think I might just go around again!

Long theological themes that go on for chapters. If thats your thing then this book is for you. But for me they are to long and divert from the story which takes second place.

excellent translation and of course brilliant book

Great life lessons and a wonderful story at that.

One of the greatest novels in world literature. So real that reality never makes as much sense. Freud cites it in his analysis of patricide

Though it may be 10 more years and 10 more readings before I fully grasp this book I know even now, moments after finishing, the power in these pages. There's a Karamazov in all of us, never forget that.