Happy Thursday! This means it's book review day!
Last week I went on a bit of a road trip to visit my family. It's approximately a five-hour drive each way, and this was a perfect time to listen to an audiobook of a classic I hadn't read since high school.
Crime and Punishment follows Raskolnikov, a poor student living in St. Petersburg. He plots and carries out the murder of an old lady and her sister. Initially, the murder seems as though it may be for theft, but as the reader is caught within Raskolnikov's mind, his guilt and confusion and inner turmoil becomes apparent.
More interestingly, the motivations of his actions come to light as he plays a bit of a game of cat and mouse with a talented detective.
The characters weave in and out of one another's lives. The connection with Sonia, especially, is poignant, and each minor character is both realistic and symbolic at the same time. Moreover, Dostoevsky, in his exploration of Raskolnikov's actions and redemptions, explores human nature and philosophy.
Raskolnikov sees himself as a Napoleonic figure, determined to exert his will, to test himself, through his willingness to commit crime (namely, murder). He sets himself above, or at least separate, from the rest of society. Other than Sonia, who he sees as his partner in suffering, of course.
Dostoevsky paints a vivid, bleak, completely encompassing world. I appreciated this work much more than I did when I first read it. I highly recommend, if you read this as a student, as I did, that you revisit it now.
I was gasping and sighing and "hmmm-ing" and shaking my head along with the descriptions. The writing is beautiful.
In short, there is a reason this is a classic.
Have you read Crime and Punishment? How about anything else by Dostoevsky? Any recommendations for great classics I need to read or reread?
I'd love to read your recommendations, below. And don't forget to subscribe to my monthly newsletter, via my contact page.