The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

[Scheherazade]

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be about a love story between an upper class/aristocrat and a lady working for him (maybe a secretary) but could I be more wrong?

The story opens as a foreigner, who turns out to be Satan, and his aides arrives in Moscow in 1930s and they create havoc in the city. However, it does not take long for the reader to realise that only those who deserve a punishment get their fair share of this. The book is full of clever and witty observations and criticism on Communist regime, literary world and human nature in general as well as an interesting look at the religious history.

Discussion thread.

A very entertaining and thought provoking read:

9/10 KitKats!

[pellegrino]

Excellent book!!! Have you read Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann?

[Wilde woman]

I read this book last summer, and it was stunning. Funny, ironic, dramatic, poignant. Admittedly, I got bogged down in the middle, with the introduction of so many new characters, but both the beginning and end stick in my mind. My goodness, the ending was absolutely gorgeous! I was also blown away by the description of Margarita at the Devil's ball. I know I did not catch all the allusions to Communist Russia; Bulgakov seems like a remarkably erudite writer. What a wonderful retelling of the Faust legend!

Funny story: while I was waiting for the bus one day, I was reading this book. I looked up to see a random girl in the bus pointing at my book and giving me a thumbs-up! Apparently, she liked it too!

[Paulclem]

I read this book in my twenties... er twenty years ago... and I have a fond memory of it. it is true that I did not get the allusions to Soviet Russia, but I found it to be a great read with so many interesting characters. liked the cat. I think they now have the technology to do a really good film of the book.

[Taliesin]

Actually, they did, I think.
Well, not a film, but a miniseries. I have seen it a few times, enjoyed it thoroughly and do recommend it - it is very faithful to the original text and the acting's quite good.

Here's the IMDB link, and here's the official site.

[Jozanny]

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be about a love story between an upper class/aristocrat and a lady working for him (maybe a secretary) but could I be more wrong?

The story opens as a foreigner, who turns out to be Satan, and his aides arrives in Moscow in 1930s and they create havoc in the city. However, it does not take long for the reader to realise that only those who deserve a punishment get their fair share of this. The book is full of clever and witty observations and criticism on Communist regime, literary world and human nature in general as well as an interesting look at the religious history.

Discussion thread.

A very entertaining and thought provoking read:

9/10 KitKats!

I am just about to start this title this week, in my zig zags between light and heavy and hard and e-file copies, and the other reviews I've read say it is not a straight-up dissent novel, so my petty little nuanced mind should be satisfied with the labor involved.

[Paulclem]

Actually, they did, I think.
Well, not a film, but a miniseries. I have seen it a few times, enjoyed it thoroughly and do recommend it - it is very faithful to the original text and the acting's quite good.

Here's the IMDB link, and here's the official site.

Thanks Taliesin