Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 'The Idiot'

[tarea83]

Hello!

I'm new in this forum and glad to have found a place on the internet to share and discuss my interest in literature.

I thought I'd make my first post about my next read: Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Idiot.

Having read Dostoyevsky's own Notes from Underground, Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov (as well as Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and War and Peace), I found it fitting to continue my exploration of Russian literature with Dostoyevsky's third long-novel masterpiece The Idiot.

I wanted to inquire what the forum users' opinions and thoughts on this novel are.

[dfloyd]

but you are forgetting 'The Possessed" or its alternate title, 'The Devils". It would be hard for me to choose between them as to which is the better. You should read both.

[Theunderground]

I really thought that this was the best of all fyodors longer works. To me it was riveting and flawless from start to finish,and the observations and psychological insights on human behaviour had me purring with delight.
I think all of fyodors main ideas are on display here and i feel ippolits speech is better than that of the grand inquisitor. The characters are also more realistic and fleshed out than in any of the other three main novels.
Great,great read from a great writer.

[country doctor]

sounds good...the doc just read the introduction and will be cracking chapter one a little later today...been looking forward to delving into this one for awhile now...it was sitting on his library shelf at his summer residence, and as the doc has relocated for the summer as of yesterday, he pulled it off the shelf today...a literary treat that was delayed, but will not be denied to the doc...

ROAR!

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

Considering the Idiot among the other books you listed, I'm certain you will enjoy it. I have read both The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov and found that I enjoyed The Idiot most.
You should also check out the various discussions under the "Discussion of Specific Authors and Books" thread.
Enjoy.

Gilliatt

[Dark Muse]

I am the odd man out here. Though I do not deny that "The Idiot" is a great book, and I did very much enjoy reading it, as I am sure you will too considering the works you have read, but I have to say for me I did not in fact enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed other works by Dostoyevsky. But Dostoyevsky on a whole is a favorite of mine.

[Gladys]

The Idiot is as good a book as I've read. The restrained, low key depiction of Prince Myshkin is breathtaking. Of the many Dostoevsky novels, I've read, only "Notes from the Underground" and "The Double" were less than wonderful.

[aliengirl]

'The Idiot' is one of the best novels I've ever read. I read both 'Crime and Punishment' and 'The Idiot' after each other and I liked the later much better. Hope you enjoy it.

[country doctor]

a few thoughts from the master...a by-product of weaving the story...

xxx xxxx never disguised the fact that he was something of a coward or, in other words, that he was extremely conservative...
(chapter four)

Because the heart is what counts and the rest is nonsense...
(chapter seven)

ROAR!