What Should I Read Next

[Dark Muse]

I was thinking ahead to my future reading plans when I came to a point in which I am stuck and am not quite sure just what direction I want to go in next.

As of right now, I have just, as of this morning, began Twenty Years After by Dumas, and it is a pretty thick book, so I will probably be reading that one for a while, and I know that after Twenty Years After I want to read Howard's End by E.M. Forster but after that, I am torn between three different books, so I would apperciate any input on which one I should go for next:

The Brothers Karmzov ~ Fydor Dostoyevsky

The God of Small Things ~Arundhati Roy

Crime and Punishment ~ Fydor Dostoyevsky

[mayneverhave]

I have not read "The God of Small Things", but I easily prefer Karamzov to C&P.

[kratsayra]

I will always sing the praises of The God of Small Things. But I think it really depends on what kind of style you are up for. Because obviously that's a whole different kettle of literary fish than Dostoyevsky is. I've only read Crime and Punishment, and I quite liked it, but it's not entirely my thing.

[Dark Muse]

It is quite different, but well I am ecclectic, a lot of the things I read are vastly different from each other. I haven't read Dostoyevsky yet before, but I have read some of the other Russians, and rather enjoyed it, I have also read some essay's and poetry by Roy before and found it interesitng.

I do enjoy the Russian style but I also have a fascination with India, and Indian spirituality and culture.

[Adagio]

Howards End is such a great novel, you'll enjoy that one.

I'd say The Brothers Karamazov. It's so unbelievably amazing.

[MANICHAEAN]

For many, (including Henry James who could not finish it), "Crime & Punishment' is dull. Its argued that the character of Raskolnikov is not objective. But then I think there is a certain impotence in the minds of many today which prevent them from living in a book or a character, and keeps them standing afar off, spectators of a puppet show.
If I might suggest, try "A Hero of Our Time" by Mikhail Lermontov as yet another alternative.

[March Hare]

Can't go wong with any Dostoyevsky. BK is better but I voted for C & P.

[Adderhead]

I just voted for Crime and Punishment because that is the only one I've read out of the three.

[Dark Muse]

For many, (including Henry James who could not finish it), "Crime & Punishment' is dull. Its argued that the character of Raskolnikov is not objective. But then I think there is a certain impotence in the minds of many today which prevent them from living in a book or a character, and keeps them standing afar off, spectators of a puppet show.
If I might suggest, try "A Hero of Our Time" by Mikhail Lermontov as yet another alternative.

I always enjoy suggestions, I will keep that book in mind.

[mono]

I have never read The God of Small Things, but have heard good things - one of those I'll-get-around-to-it-someday-after-this-one-and-this-one-and-this-one-ad-infinitum books. When you get around to it, let me know how it goes, Dark Muse. ;)
One can never go wrong with Dostoevsky, one of the greatest novelists and thinkers of all time; he does so well with engendering philosophy, a bit of a dark, cynical philosophy, in each of his novels and shorter stories. I would pay more heed to The Brothers Karamazov, but as you mentioned that you have never read any Dostoevsky, I voted for Crime and Punishment. I consider The Brothers Karamazov his magnum opus, and Crime and Punishment seems, out of any of his novels, along with The Idiot, the ideal introduction to Dostoevsky's genius, the first novel I read of his, too.

[Dark Muse]

Brothers Karamazov does seem to be a favorite, but I will keep in mind your suggestion of using Crime and Punishment as a good introduction for a reader new to his work.

[grace86]

I voted Crime and Punishment because I read that one first. It took me a long while to get through it, but I found it fascinating. It's one of my favorite novels. I think there is a problem that people tend not to get into the characters of the novels any more, but let me tell you...when I was reading C&P I tried and got into it, and at times it could be depressing.

My next choice for a Dostoevsky novel was going to be Brothers Karamazov or the Idiot. I decided for the Idiot but I heard Brothers was really good.

Good luck. You can't fail any way you choose.

[mayneverhave]

Brothers Karamazov does seem to be a favorite, but I will keep in mind your suggestion of using Crime and Punishment as a good introduction for a reader new to his work.

Admittedly, I started with C&P and then moved on to Karamzov, and looking back, I'm not sure that chronology is necessary. Karamazov contains most of what is good about C&P, including the notion of moral trangression and the ubermensch concept. The greatest strength C&P has is Raskolnikov, who only appears in different shades in the characters of Karamazov.

[bazarov]

For start C&P, but immediately after TBK :D You can't miss.

[Barbarous]

Admittedly, I started with C&P and then moved on to Karamzov, and looking back, I'm not sure that chronology is necessary. Karamazov contains most of what is good about C&P, including the notion of moral trangression and the ubermensch concept. The greatest strength C&P has is Raskolnikov, who only appears in different shades in the characters of Karamazov.

Certainly, Ivan is that Dostoyevskian archetype of the belittle or enraged Atheist or ze Ubermensch, like you have mentioned.

One often hears of Dostoevsky's 4 'Shakespearean' novels, which include The Idiot, Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, and Demons. With that said, I've always seen C&P as the Macbeth of the bunch; meaning it is more or less a fast pace and at times bloody read haha

If that sounds appealing dive into that, but The Brothers Karamazov is a slower novel, yet, in my opinion, one with more depth than C&P.

[Dark Muse]

Fast and bloody does sound intriguing LOL

[mono]

Fast and bloody does sound intriguing LOL
:lol:
By gripping Crime and Punishment in one hand and The Brothers Karamazov in the other, the latter does not seem too much thicker, but, I agree with Barbarous, that Crime and Punishment has that what's-going-to-happen-next, thrillingly psychological feel to it, while The Brothers Karamazov has a much more meditative feel to it, equally psychological, perhaps even more, but dissecting those extra few hundred pages comes with its challenges. As a note, I think reading Crime and Punishment took some one-third of the time to read its close cousin.

[mayneverhave]

Fast and bloody does sound intriguing LOL

I wouldn't exactly call it fast, but the titular "crime" does occur rather early, leaving ample pages for the "punishment" which is very layered in its power and complexity. The novel, although quicker than Karamazov, is very slow. Dostoevsky's style is to place one or two characters in various compartments of houses and have them talk for pages and pages. Fortunately the conversation is fantastic.

Building on the comparison to Macbeth (which was a good one), The Brothers Karamazov would equate to Hamlet in its length, themes, and contemplativeness.

[andave_ya]

I wouldn't exactly call it fast, but the titular "crime" does occur rather early, leaving ample pages for the "punishment" which is very layered in its power and complexity. The novel, although quicker than Karamazov, is very slow. Dostoevsky's style is to place one or two characters in various compartments of houses and have them talk for pages and pages. Fortunately the conversation is fantastic.

Building on the comparison to Macbeth (which was a good one), The Brothers Karamazov would equate to Hamlet in its length, themes, and contemplativeness.

Certainly puts Shakespeare in a new light!

[Barbarous]

Building on the comparison to Macbeth (which was a good one), The Brothers Karamazov would equate to Hamlet in its length, themes, and contemplativeness.

Certainly! I could see Alyosha as Horatio and Ivan and Dmitri as the title role...

[Kafka's Crow]

I have always believe Dostoevsky to be Russia's Shakespeare. He himself writes in Karamazov "Europeans have their Hamlets. We, Russians, have our Karamazovs." Crime & Punishment is Dostoevsky's Macbeth, The Idiot, Hamlet and The Brother Karamazov his King Lear, huge, gigantic and full of different characters shedding light on different aspects of human existence and psyche.

Roy's book is good, it is great. But we can't compare her with Dostoevsky. Apples and oranges and all that stuff. I'd start with Crime & Punishment, move on to The Idiot and ultimately read Karamazov if I was in your place.