Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Returning to St Petersburg from a Swiss sanatorium, the gentle and naive epileptic Prince Myshkin - pays a visit to his distant relative General Yepanchin and proceeds to charm the General, his wife, and his three daughters. But his life is thrown into turmoil when he chances on a photograph of the beautiful Nastasya Filippovna.

The Idiot 

This feels like another ‘typical’ Dostoevsky piece—something I suspect many would agree with. The plot might strike some as plain, punctuated by abrupt, intense moments of tension that can leave readers reeling. Murders, sudden fatal illnesses, and a protagonist left with a vague resolution by the end are all hallmarks of Dostoevsky’s storytelling here. However, I must admit that it’s challenging to sympathize with the protagonist. His constant indecision is frustrating, and he fails to draw readers into his perspective in a convincing way. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the climax chapters. The plot flows seamlessly, but this book lacks the profound spiritual lessons that are so often present in Dostoevsky’s other masterpieces.

What truly stands out for me, though, is the dynamic between Rogozhin and the Prince. Their connection is compelling—they need each other, but are perpetually torn apart. If only they could remain side by side; their opposing personalities might have allowed them to overcome their crises. The Prince, incapable of rejecting even the most malevolent, and Rogozhin, unable to resist evil despite his better intentions, form a tragic pair. It’s heartbreaking to witness their mutual descent into ruin. The Prince’s boundless compassion, his desire to help everyone even at the cost of his own destruction, adds a poignant layer to the story.

Perhaps the ultimate moral story here is as simple as it is bitter: 

🏹

This feels like another ‘typical’ Dostoevsky piece—something I suspect many would agree with. The plot might strike some as plain, punctuated by abrupt, intense moments of tension that can leave readers reeling. Murders, sudden fatal illnesses, and a protagonist left with a vague resolution by the end are all hallmarks of Dostoevsky’s storytelling here. However, I must admit that it’s challenging to sympathize with the protagonist. His constant indecision is frustrating, and he fails to draw readers into his perspective in a convincing way. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the climax chapters. The plot flows seamlessly, but this book lacks the profound spiritual lessons that are so often present in Dostoevsky’s other masterpieces.

What truly stands out for me, though, is the dynamic between Rogozhin and the Prince. Their connection is compelling—they need each other, but are perpetually torn apart. If only they could remain side by side; their opposing personalities might have allowed them to overcome their crises. The Prince, incapable of rejecting even the most malevolent, and Rogozhin, unable to resist evil despite his better intentions, form a tragic pair. It’s heartbreaking to witness their mutual descent into ruin. The Prince’s boundless compassion, his desire to help everyone even at the cost of his own destruction, adds a poignant layer to the story.

Perhaps the ultimate moral story here is as simple as it is bitter: don’t be an idiot.

Hooman Rostami

The book grow on me as time went by. Nice story overall, not the best Dostoevsky works for sure, but it is an interesting one. It’s full of psychological analyses, and it’s a complete perfection in part 4, chapter 9. Part 4, chapter 4 is the funniest chapter I have read by D. I’d recommend the book just for that! The book definitely finishes strong unlike Karamazov Brothers!

The Idiot

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