I feel like this could have been Dosto's best work if he hadn't fumbled so hard in the second half of the book. Part 3 in particular feels like a huge crash and burn, especially compared to Part 1 and 2 which are quite literally perfect. It feels like he tried to shove too much stuff in there. Pretty disappointing. Did anyone else feel like this?
I thought the ending was perfect.The Bible compares Jesus to a groom and humanity to his bride, and this is literally shown in the wedding scene. Ana rejects Myshkin in favor of Rogozhin, much like how humans reject God in favor of sin. Just like how sin leads to death, Rogozhin ultimately murders Ana.
>fumbledIt was perfect, and you simply dont get a russian soul.
>>25169382>Ana rejects Myshkin in favor of Rogozhin, much like how humans reject GodAnon, that is not an analogy at all. Because it is literally stated that she realised that Mishkyn was too good for her and that she didn't deserve him. That is why she rejected him.
>>25169347It's my favorite book of all time and I love how free-form and neurotic it is. The edition you posted (McDuff translation, my favorite) puts it best in the blurb on the back: it's dream-like. But your take is largely correct in the sense that Dostoevsky himself considered the book a failure. I read it every 1-2 years and I'm gonna reread it in July when Katz's translation comes out.
>>25169403Ippolit's story line, the confrontation with the nihilists and Myshkin's delirious rant on religion were all extremely redundant.
>>25169426The confrontation with nihilists is literally part of the core theme of the book. And yet again, you dont understand a Russian soul nor the state of the society at the time, which Dostojevskij was talking about.
>>25169849>you dont understand a Russian soul nor the state of the society at the time>"should we westernize?" "hm... it depends..."wow, so elusive...
>>25169347One of his worst.
>>25169347This is how I feel about every "big novel" of his, except for TBK. Everything is too long, manic and loose.
>>25169887TBK is truly great. I could neve get into the others. They’re all sterile in comparison, and dare I say, samey.
>>25169887But TBK is his longest, arguably structually most loose, and is also manic..>>25169899I think the problem is reading TBK too early or even starting with it since it's basically an amalgation of everything he's written since and the logical endpoint of his philosophy on life. Yes, I know he planned a sequel, but it still is. Ideally TBK is saved for late because THEN you'd come to the realisation of "Ohhh, that's what he's getting at", that kind of thing. The other way around obviously does work too, but I understand how they'd feel weaker then.Not saying that's how it was for you specifically, but I've seen other people feel like that
>>25169426Ippolit's based crashout was pretty much the only memorable thing from the book for me.
>>25169874>>"should we westernize?" "hm... it depends..."Amazing, so you did really not understand any of the Dostoj´s books
>>25169915Nah that’s about right, that’s how it was for me. It’s been a while since I read any Dosto, but maybe I should wait a while longer and proceed by starting with Notes, and work my way back to TBK. I don’t often read fiction anymore, and I definitely find myself praising the kind work someone like Bely would write over Dostojevskij these days. All that being said, I believe he’s worth revisiting.
>>25169347I just finished part 2 will continue and I hope you are wrong it has been great so far.Anyone else an epileptic, and can relate to those seizure attacks he describes in his books or when he writes about it?
>>25169424I also like it very much, I still believe it's a masterpiece albeit with obvious flaws. I certainly think it's Dostoyevsky's most unique book, in most part due to how personal it appears; the story of his mock execution, Myshkin being an epileptic, his encounter with the portrait of dead Jesus etc. The characters and the style are also very special. But the book also betrays an anxiety from Dostoyevsky's part that he has to present as many of his ideas as possible, which doesn't work imo and ruins the atmosphere of the book at some points. I know that Dostoyevsky himself realized this which is why he goes on to develop some of his ideas further in his later works but in a more contained and controlled manner.
>>25170198>Anyone else an epileptic, and can relate to those seizure attacks he describes in his books or when he writes about it?Dostoevsky himself of course, and also Ian Curtis (Joy Division). It was one of his favorite books
>>25169409On a subconscious level some humans reject God because he is too good for them.
>>25169382>>25169409>Nastasya Filippovna rejects salvation>"Ohhh, my poor girl, she's just lost.">Ippolit rejects salvation>"You deserve everything that's happening to you, and worse! Fuck you and everything you love!"I can't think of ONE character that Dostoyevsky has hated so much as he did Ippolit, and for no apparent reason. He has made other characters like him in his other books, yet none has been so openly attacked like Ippolit. The stark contrast with how Nastasya Filippovna is treated is absurd, it's like she has no accountability for her decisions and is worthy of grief, whereas Ippolit is recognized to have free will and his actions make him completely reprehensible. Just needed to incel out over this injustice.
