Gross Darkness: The bleak Raskolnikov

I have now read Dostoevsky's

* Crime and Punishment
* The Brothers Karamazov
* The Gambler
* The Idiot
* The Village of Stepanchikovo.

I was thoroughly shocked by the grim mood of Raskolnikov's story. Even in his generosity, bleakness hovers. All the characters seemed dragged down by him. By contrast with the other novels, I found myself struggling painfully to keep on reading. Am I alone in this?

Even the ending lacks the heroism of the others. Looking back on 'Crime and Punishment', I see shades of black. Yet I wonder about Sonia?