An amazing book. I put this in my top 3 favorites by Dostoevsky - along with The Possessed and The Idiot.
Let me start by saying that I had seen reviews stating that this is 2nd rate Dostoevsky. I could not disagree more - every page has taut, colorful language. And all of Dostoevsky's themes are here: suffering, poverty, family, physical illness, love, emotionalism. Of all of Dostoevsky's works, this one seems the most like a traditional novel - it is shorter than most of his others, and it wraps up with a succinct and memorable final line of dialog.
But I think what makes this novel one of my favorites by him, perhaps my favorite, is its tighter focus - almost simplicity - compared with the broader themes and topics of most of his denser works. And, as usual, the characters are memorable becasue of what they had to endure.
Again, a big point that I would like to get across about this book is that it is not a second rate Dostoevsky work - it is top tier, even for him. Every page bursts with vibrant narration and dialog - and the humiliated and insulted protagonists will stay with you for a long time. A beautiful book