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Summary: What can I say? It's Dostoyevsky!
Review: In my mind, Russian literature is the most thought provoking, tragic, and wonderful (however I do not claim to be an expert of anything besides my opinion) and The Brothers Karamazov is a shining example.
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Summary: a great book
Review: this is the first Russian book i have read, but it wont be my last. the characterizatons are wonderful, not just the brothers but the father, the elder priest, the monks, and the two women. much more food for thought about God and life than most modern novels
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Summary: a multi faceted book which tackles many issues
Review: This is the second best book which I have ever read, the first being Crime and Punishement. Many people do not like to read Dostoyevsky due to the so called complexities, but his books just deal with the complexities of life, something which anyone can relate to. Each character offers another issue which Dostoyevsky is trying to deal with, from the existence of God to the inevitable results of unbridialed debauchery. And due to the fact that Dostoyevsky tries to deal with so many issues, he creates a plethora of characters which may be difficult to sift through, but well worth the read.
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Summary: A Novel for Life
Review: Built around the idea of parricide - Dmitri would think and do it; Ivan would think but perhaps is incapable of doing it; Alexei would neither think nor do it - this classic tale is a veritable encyclopeadia of human emotions. The author himself declares Alexei to be the hero of the novel, but I rather think it is Ivan. One suspects he is most like Dostoevsky himself, embodying the author's profound ambiguity about the existance of god, about the nature of good and evil. With Dmitri-the-parricide at one end, and Alexei-the- saint at the other, Ivan is perfectly positioned to explore man's psychological and spiritual dimensions. To call it the greatest novel ever written seems petty academic quibbling. Suffice it to say it is a novel for life.
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Summary: It's simply the best
Review: Brothers Karamazov is the compilation of the human soul in a book. Faith, murder, God, happiness, destiny, human decadence and human dignity, everything is in this extraordinary novel which is the last work of F. M. Dostoevsky, and everything is treated with such mastership that it strikes in your own convictions. No matter if you want it or not, this novel makes you think about life. Like if it was a kind of fruit, Dostoevsky takes off layers and layers of human soul and arrives to the very core of the indiviudal, almost to its own essence. You feel atracted by the personality that Dostoevsky paints for each character, and the situations they live are so artistic and well planned that you cannot believe so much harmony in a work that talks about the "disharmony" of the world. It is for true lamentation that Death arrived too early to Dostoevsky, because this novel was conceived as the first part of a cycle that was to be called "! ;the life of a great sinner", a cycle time didn't left Fyodor Mihailovitch to accomplish, and everyone who have read this novel would have loved to enjoy. Anyway, don't be afraid by the label of "classic" they put on this and many other literary works, because be sure that a classic talks about humanity, and human soul, so you are always going to understand at least the essence of a true classic no matter in which time it was created, and believe me, this novel your looking information about is one of the greatest, if not greatest, classics of all.
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Summary: A Teenager's POV
Review: I'm Sarah, a 14-year-old eighth grader, and I honestly think that The Brothers Karamazov is the greatest novel in the world. Over the years, I have been introduced to so-called "great" literature that is, in reality, trivial (such as Twain), tedious (such as Mann), or ridiculous (such as Plato.) But here is a piece of literature truly worthy of the name "great." It really made me think about everthing in my life, from the existence of God to the nature of morality to the meaning of love. This book is perfect for an apathetic teenager who has never questioned the world - in fact, it's perfect for everyone.
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Summary: One of the Greatest Works in Literature--Enduring
Review: Dostoyevsky was erroneous when he exclaimed, "Aleksey Fytodorovich [is} the hero." The hero of this epic work is the young, poor boy, Ilyushechka, who is the most virtuously noble and bold young person in all of literature! For when his father is brutally attacked by Dmitry Karamazov, the young lad manifests what love of another truly indeed is. Ilyushechka metamorphoses into a person who now only seeks to have his father's dignity augmented, whereby warring with all, from young children to old men! However, the most resonant trait about the young man is the fact that when he is faced with death--at a very young age--he becomes omnipotent and omniscient. "Papa will cry, you must be with papa," asserted Ilyushechka right before his death. What a bold young man, telling his young friends to take care of his father after his death! Then right before he dies, Ilyushechka blasts, "Papa, when my grave is filled in, crumble a crust of bread on it so th! at the little sparrows will come and I will hear them and will feel happy that I'm not lying there alone." This phrase is one of the most moving and enduring ever penned. The last chapter of the work, "Ilyushechka's Funeral," is one of the most resonant scenes ever penned (it's impossible not to weep for a few minutes after reading). This work, outside of this bliss character, is the work of a sheer genius--simply...the greatest work I've ever had the priviledge to read--my hat is off for life to Dostoyevsky! I vehemently recommend this work to all person who seek great reads.... Who was it that said Shakespeare was the greatest tradegy penner? Certainly not I--
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Summary: My high expectations were disappointed
Review: I read this book over 4 months and a number of subway rides (damn, it's heavy to read with one hand while holding on to a strap with the other!). As a big fan of Notes from the Underground, and having heard that this is the "greatest novel of all time," I was very disappointed. I'm sorry, but the thing is just too long. Of course this no doubt reflects the serial economics of the day in which it was written, but I've read other long novels that use their length to much greater effect (yes, Dickens' Bleak House). There are bits that are really good (Grand Inquistitor, teachings of Zosima) but it was only in these that I found meaning--the rest of it was plot and a lot of bombastic speech from the numerous characters, none of whom I could identify with to any great extent. If you want Dostoevsky espresso (intense, but somewhat bitter flavor; quick intake), read Notes. Every sentence is necessary--unlike Brothers K.
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Summary: Possibly the most profound book ever
Review: Although some may be intimidated by this book's prodigious length and status as a "classic," I implore everyone to read this novel. As simply a story, the Brothers K is an enthralling tale of murder and deception among 4 brothers and their despicable father set in pre-Revolutionary Russia. But Dostoevsky's attention to detail, use of language, and character development are what make this work literature. However the Brothers K's unparalleled status originates from the astonishingly insightful questions it raises about the nature of man and God. I consider myself relatively well-read, but in my experience, never has another work of literature speculated on the human condition in a fashion so sublime. If you are still hesitant about reading this book, then read the chapters "Rebellion" followed by "The Grand Inquisitor" (the most famous chapter in any novel) and I'm sure your reservations will vanish. I must say I believe the Brothers K is the most profound novel ever written and to me, it speaks great truths.
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Summary: Good book if you want to be a good person.
Review: Dostoevsky wrote this book with the character of Alyosha as the hero. Pay attention to this man if you wish to learn about beign a good person. This book is long, involved, intriguing, and personable. Take time if you read it, to listen to and observe Alyosha.
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