Audiobook19 hours
Crime and Punishment
Written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Narrated by Expatriate
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Crime and Punishment focuses on the mental anguish and moral dilemmas of Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, an impoverished St. Petersburg student who formulates and executes a plan to kill a hated, unscrupulous pawnbroker for her money, thereby solving his financial problems and at the same time, he argues, ridding the world of evil.
Crime and Punishment is considered by many as the first of Dostoevsky's cycle of great novels, which would culminate with his last completed work, The Brothers Karamazov, shortly before his death.
Crime and Punishment is considered by many as the first of Dostoevsky's cycle of great novels, which would culminate with his last completed work, The Brothers Karamazov, shortly before his death.
Author
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Fyodor Dostoyevsky was born in Moscow in 1821. He died in 1881 having written some of the most celebrated works in the history of literature, including Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, and The Brothers Karamazov.
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Reviews for Crime and Punishment
Rating: 4.25580847742367 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
8,221 ratings239 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great psychological novel.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ordinary vs superior people.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Classic. Story of one man who commits a murder to see if he can get away with it and the effects it has on everyone
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Interesting ideas about how people punish themselves and how they can be reborn, but confusing and a lot of random things
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5F.D. had a window into the human soul. This is an incredibly good novel.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A classic piece of fiction which is both deep and disturbing. A pefect choice for a book club to discuss.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I hate to give such as well known classic a low star rating. Maybe it's because I read the Pevear & Volokhonsky translation, or listened to it in audio. Or maybe Dostoevsky intentionally set out to make the reader feel the mental sickness/madness of the main character, like an unpleasant fever-dream. The first two chapters were great and promising, but the remaining melodramatic and plodding (a trait shared by some other 1850s and 60s classic novels). The best aspects are Dostoevsky's insights on human nature, but to get those ideas requires ascribing motives, thoughts and ideas to his characters that do not feel authentic; the characters are like projections of Dostoevsky himself thus lacking a believable psychology. I'm glad to have read it because it is so famous, but life is short so I look to the classics for a sure thing and this did not deliver. I read The House of the Dead which was great, so may give Dostoevsky another try later.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I actually liked the book, and it made me think about the meaning of life. A little bit of boring, but worth the time.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5There is not much more I can say about this book that hasn't been said by hundreds of people throughout the years. On a personal note, I found this book to be outstanding and can easily see why it is considered one of the classics of literature. The way Dostoevsky gets into the mind of his character is as good writing as I have ever seen. The torment, guilt, hope, wonder, and range of dozens of emotions of the main character really hit home to the reader. I think everyone could connect in some way to the ideas in this story and although it is a slow read that takes some time, I think it is worth it for any avid reader.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Well, it's a good book. Enjoyable enough. I found the first half a little harder to get through, but I knocked it out quickly enough. His writing style isn't exactly what I expected, but I found it useful in perhaps formulating my own. Though fictional, it's also one of those works that offers an excellent snapshot of a particular place and time, in this case late 19th Century Russia.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Thanks to Crime and Punishment being a #1001Books and a read-a-long with some Litsy members, I finally got around to tackling this Russian masterpiece. Admittedly, my reading experience was enhanced by being able to discuss this book with the others: the memorable characters, the story, the feeling of dread that most of us felt, and comparing various translations. I started out with the Oliver Ready translation, but found the older (and reputedly less accurate) Constance Garnett translations to be more readable; so was switching back and forth frequently between the two versions.I am by no means a Dostoevsky expert after reading this or Notes from Underground recently, but found him far less intimidating than anticipated, and definitely plan to read his other works eventually.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Surprisingly easy read. Long though.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing, phenomenal, and well deserved to be called a masterpiece. For some reason, I had in my head that it would be about the Crime, of course, and then being in prison, with long pondering about guilt, remorse, etc. - and very dry. But I was completely wrong. It was exciting, suspenseful, with intriguing sub-plots and many layers to be uncovered. Wonderful, and I highly recommend it!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5gripping....extremely
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dostoevsky's novel places Raskolnikov in the daily confrontation of alienation and self-inflicted punishment. Raskolnikov faces delirium and illness while pressuring himself to remain blameless. The prevalence of poverty in Russia in the 1800's and the growing power of ideas such as nihilism and other philosophical positions are carried throughout the novel. Dostoevsky somehow adds an underlying love story into this strange combination of psychosis and philosophy. The novel definitely makes my list of something everyone should read. A character list is essential to keep track of the many different names Dostoevsky used for the main characters.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Only through great suffering comes wisdom and enlightenment.That is one of the many themes in Crime and Punishment.This novel was written by Dostoevsky after his time in exile in Siberia, where he was serving a sentence in the Katorga camps (a system of forced labour camps that preceded the Gulag).The story follows the young Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov (a student of law) after he committed murder, and details his mental and physical anguish of his secret and his attempts to justify his actions.The story unravels slowly but surely as the idea of noble suffering makes its way to the fore and Rodion has to make some tough decisions that will impact many of the characters in his life.I like to draw an analogy between Rodion's anguish and mine at reading the book. It is long -- very long -- and thoroughly enjoyable, but at points I didn't want to put it down and felt compelled to read for very long stretches. Alas, the size of the book make this impossible and the anguish of the story and its weight on me drew on for over a week.In the end, the closing words referring to "another story" could refer as much to Crime and Punishment itself as to my story of reading the novel.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I picked up this novel as part of the Easton's top 100 books. I have to admit that I wouldn't have read it, or finished it, if it wasn't part of this list. It follows the deterioration of Rasko, a poor student, who decides to murder a pawnbroker in an attempt to better his life. This go awry from the beginning, when in a state of panic he forgets to bolt the door. After committing the murder, he takes a handful of trinkets. Rasko is immediately wracked by guilt, and begins making mistake after mistake. The novel was probably considered a psychological thriller when it was initially published. However, I found it to be a bit dry and hard to read. Oftentimes characters would go on non-sensical rants that lasted several pages. I found the moral questions raised throughout the book to be interesting. A more modern take on this book would probably be interesting and well worth reading.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5**Warning: Spoilers**I don't think I've ever come across a book quite like Crime and Punishment. Usually, I can at the very least quickly classify a book in the broad terms of "I liked it" or "I didn't like it." Crime and Punishment doesn't really fit in this paradigm. I can't tell you if I liked it or not, because I don't know. In fact, it almost defies description at all. Nevertheless, I will say what I can about Dostoyevsky's novel.The basic plot centers on a young man named Raskolnikov who commits a double murder early on in the story. The rest of the book details the slow, agonizing punishment of that crime, which for him is an internal battle between his intellect, which says that he has done no wrong, and his conscience, which informs him that what he did was in fact very wrong. His internal strife slowly eats away at Raskolnikov to the point where he confesses his crime and is sent to Siberia for hard labor. While in Siberia, his suffering for his misdeeds reaches a climax, and as a result he finds redemption and is reanimated as a person. His soul is restored.The positive elements of the book are several: First, there are multiple scenes which evoked strong emotional reactions as I read. Dostoyevsky had an amazing ability to write viscerally. Second, the novel displays (accurately, in my view) the destructiveness of adhering to a false worldview. Raskolnikov came close to breaking down throughout the story, precisely because he could not reconcile his worldview with reality. Conversely, the author represents well the transformation or regeneration that occurs with true repentance--a lesson that will forever ring true.There are several negative elements of the book, though. As is typical with Russian literature, it is a heavy, long read. I personally could not say that I enjoyed reading it, but while hard, it was worthwhile. (Perhaps it is the literary equivalent to eating one's vegetables?) In addition, Dostoyevsky had several side stories that dealt with the current events of the day--events with which I was completely in the dark. I admit, this is probably more of a commentary on myself than the book, but since I am not in academia and have precious little time to read as it is, it makes little sense for me to study up on such details just to read a book.Overall, I am just not sure what to do with this book. It speaks to the reader on multiple levels and contains much that is good, but it was not particularly a "good read" in the sense that it was not a book I would recommend to curl up with next to a fire. Reading it was more like running a marathon without knowing where the finish line was. On balance, I am rating this book 3 stars, which I freely admit may reflect more on me than Dostoyevsky's classic work.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I first read this in high school. I read it again in college. I'm reading it for the third time now. It's perfect for anyone who wants to know where we find the best chance of finding salvation.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I first read this book fifteen years ago as a high school student. I was gripped by the mystery of it--not knowing what would happen to the narrator who, it is fairly clear from page one, is thinking of doing something horrible, and wondering throughout whether he would get caught. I was also swept up in the idea that a novel could be not just a story, but a philosophy: an exposition, through characters' perspectives, of what is true about life, faith, and politics. My classmates found Marmeladov's drunken ramblings on suffering as a vehicle for salvation dry, dull, and depressing; I was coming into the beginnings of my independent religious consciousness, and latched on to the idea that faith could be a personal and individual thing. I had always disliked how easily authors and directors made me root for the bad guy, and I found myself so smitten with the possibility that we are each villains in our own ways, and can be redeemed to do the right thing in the end. In short, I fell in love with this book, which quickly garnered the distinction as my favourite of all time, not only as an important novel, but as a moving and compelling story.The acclaim in which I held this book for so long made me a bit tentative about going back to it fifteen years later, but I am so glad for having done so. I can be more open now about the writing style in comparison with other great works I have read since; it is, without a doubt, a nineteenth century text, and one whose reading requires a great deal of investment--not work, per se, but close attention. And yet, the deeper meanings of the novel stand out in even sharper relief to me than they did on the first go. I find myself taking the perspective of each of the characters, not just Raskolnikov, and marvelling at how well Dostoevsky brings each of them to life with a psychology and a spirituality that is uniquely and realistically their own. I find myself more critical of the themes of the novel in view of my own understanding of Christian truth, yet more desperate than ever to piece together how and when, for Raskolnikov, his actions and his understanding combine into a coherent whole. And I find myself more appreciative than ever that the author does not gloss over the evil realities of life, but instead explores the heights of Christian redemption through the depths of the harshest sins, and does not permit his characters to slip painlessly into a happy ending, but demands, as God does of us, that they persevere for years in a growing understanding of His truth. This is the Christian fiction I wish more Christians could be bothered to aim for--not the heartfelt world of Amish farms, well-behaved children, and sexually pure courtships, but the far more compelling world of real people with real problems, getting life wrong, falling into the depths of despair, finding faith, and continuing to live in spite of their pain (not without it) simply because of some faint understanding in the bottom of their consciousness that there is one more reason out there not to give up hope. It is the fiction that would birth the C.S. Lewis and the Flannery O'Connor, as well as inspire a multitude of non-Christian authors who, in spite of not sharing the author's or the main character's views, would sense the significance of allowing their characters to be shaped by events and not simply molded by predestined happy endings. It is a book that seems to touch on my own psychology and heart more as I grow older and more experienced with disappointment and struggle. And though the mystery faded considerably after the first read, it is, because of all these things, still my all-time favourite book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The author draws you in slowly, cunningly, and with great precision. Never have I read a novel where the characters are so real. It's as if the author is painting a masterpiece from the impressionist period. The author has exclaimed on paper what every man feels. Every man believes what they feel, no other man has felt or shared. The author has made human the emotions between good and evil, light, and darkness, shallowness, and depth, depravity, and fortitude.The author has also illuminated and underscored the premise that to suffer, is good. He is right. Would Spring be so welcome if we had no Winter? The guile the author gives the characters is amazing considering this is a novel of the 19th century. That said, this book is such an easy read compared to the fright I had upon beginning it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really enjoyed this as well. It got me on my "russian" kick.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Brilliant, and (though I don't have any Russian) seems to be a truly excellent translation.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was a great book. I loved the relationship between Raskolnikov and Porfiry Petrovich. Excellent dialogue, excellent characters, flat ending. If Dostoevsky knew how to end a novel, this would've gotten a rating even higher than 4 stars. As it stands, it is still better than 90% of the books out there, and therefore I recommend reading it.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I somehow made it through high school and a college English Lit degree without having read Crime and Punishment. Many years later, I finally read it though the help of an audiobook, and conclude I was not missing out on much. It's a good book and certainly hooked me in. The ending, however, seemed rushed and didn't leave me with any great thoughts or contemplations. Perhaps that was the point, but I would have liked a bit more.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I found this book very deap in thought about the characters. It brought to life there thoughts and feelings, I belive that Dostoyevsky is maybe the secound greatest Russian auther ever to live. His details about what they are expresing makes me both love and hate characters at certain times (mostly hate him) ^^
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I found this book to be extremely well written, although a little on the depressing side.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I guess I'm just not into the classic Russian novels. I didn't enjoy Tolstoy's War and Peace or Anna Karenina, and neither did I enjoy Crime and Punishment. I just keep aching for something to happen. All the endless, rambling thoughts just bore me to tears.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5in general, every russian novel i've read has knocked me for a loop. this one was no exception. and that's all i can think to say at the moment.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Reading this was a total chore, but I'm glad I did it. The psychology in this book-- the feelings that Raskolnikov is tortured by, his paranoia, his nauseated horror-- they're fantastic. They're the reason to read this book.Dostoevsky is essentially Charles Dickens plus vodka: the same excess of words, the same kind of outrageous detail, the same weird little tangents delved into to illustrate a social point. I'm not much of a fan. But it's a good book. I just won't be reading it again unless I have to: it's patently obvious that he was paid by the word. Such is the failing of many serialized novels from the nineteenth century: a restriction forced by the media in which it was produced.However, the meaning isn't any worse off for it. Everyone should get through this one at least once in their lives.