The Possessed (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

A Must Read

I chose this book as my summer reading last year. I made my own list of characters because this edition does not list them. I wanted to know what "nihilism" was. I was not disappointed. This was not the first Dostoevsky book for me. (In high school we read 'Notes From The Underground.') The most striking image for me are the clandestine meetings of pre-Bolshevik revolutionaries; the discussion over 'the woman question,' and the fact that in the Gulags, Dostoevsky was given one book to read: the Bible. God bless this author. I love Dostoevsky!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A thought-provoking classic

The people and passions of the 19th century clash in this masterpiece, which comments on political conditions in Russia. The politics and ideas of the day entangle all the characters as the action unfolds, and the moral that unfolds along alongside the plot is that ideas have consequences. The accuracy of the predictions made about what would happen politically to Russia is so astonishing that the novel could be read for that reason alone. In any case, it knocked my socks off.

Always lurks more than one reason to read a Dostoyevsky, and politics does not obsure a well-turned plot. The author's ability to present every point of view uncontaminated by his own biases is a hallmark of his genius, and this talent adds immeasurably to the narrative power. Here one might find the secret of the book's excellence.

My own favorite character in the story is Kirillov, and the care the author takes with him hints at a soft spot Dostoyevsky nurtures even for this young nihilist. Shatov I found a warmly sympathetic character, the vessel that carries Russia in its hold. The characterization of a political meeting in a safehouse stands out in my mind for it's cunning humor, the best in 19th century literature.

One small note: it's better to read the chapter "Savrogin's Confession" in the order the author originally intended, not at the end.

I prefer the Garnett translation to the current title, "Demons." Although that was the correct Russian word, it carries a religious connotation absent from the novel except in certain places. "The Possessed" better captures in English what is happening in the novel -- the fact that ideas are driving the action, as opposed to persons, that ideas are taking posssession over people. Garnett was on-target to choose that as the English title.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A reviewer

Simply Outstanding. Once you understand it.. you'll love it. Fyodor Dostoevsky does not disappoint. If you want a nice long read, where you'd learn something interesting, and have a chance to look into the literary texts of one of the most influential and highly acclaimed novelists in all of literature, then this book would be a good start.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A book to carry with you. Not in your Nook.

In high school (a while ago) I also read Notes from the Underground. Don't remember much of it to comment on it. A couple of days ago I finished this monster (710 pages), The Possessed. I found it very interesting and entertaining. I enjoyed the somewhat convoluted story line but was able to follow plot developments by concentrating on the story. The characters were richly developed though the bizarre nature of many of them made me laugh and then cringe sometimes within the space of a few minutes of reading. More importantly I found the author's placement of political and philosophical arguments and expositions to be stunning in their effect. He craftily combined plot actions that occurred simultaneously into distinct sections that were overseen by the omniscient narrator and then presented to the reader in a rational manner. It is a dark novel and reflects on the mind of the author who saw much and lived much in a cruel and dangerous 19th Century Tsarist Russia. One can feel sympathy for some characters and outright distaste for others. Their bumblings and stupid actions seem to actually reflect quite accurately how some human beings really are. Woe with us if we find ourselves reflected in this generally dismal cast.

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