The Possessed, or The Devils

Dostoevsky’s most turbulent and brutal novel, The Possessed (also translated as Demons/Devils/The Devils) (1872) is a tragedy in its truest form and a biting critique of nihilism and all other “isms” that plagued late 19th century Russian society.

Similar in form to his other works, the novel is “polyphonic,” relying less on the commentary of the narrator and more on the restless collision of his characters and their ideals. The many branching characters and storylines serve to form a powerf...