Dostoevsky's Incarnational Realism: Finding Christ among the Karamazovs

by Paul J. Contino, Caryl Emerson (Contributor)

In this book Paul Contino offers a theological study of Dostoevsky’s final novel, The Brothers Karamazov . He argues that incarnational realism animates the vision of the novel, and the decisions and actions of its hero, Alyosha Fyodorovich Karamazov. The book takes a close look at Alyosha’s mentor, the Elder Zosima, and the way his role as a confessor and his vision of responsibility “to all, for all” develops and influences Alyosha. The remainder of the study, which serves as a kind of reader’s guide to the novel, follows Alyosha as he takes up the mantle of his elder, develops as a “monk in the world,” and, at the end of three days, ascends in his vision of Cana. The study attends also to Alyosha’s brothers and his ministry to Mitya’s struggle to become a “new man” and Ivan’s anguished groping toward responsibility. Finally, Contino traces Alyosha’s generative role with the young people he encounters, and his final message of hope.

Genres: Nonfiction

334 pages, Paperback

Published August 17, 2020

Reviews

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like Dostoevsky, I am Orthodox. It's an interesting exercise to watch Contino wrest out a Catholic viewpoint from an Orthodox worldview, despite stating several times that Dostoevsky was explicitly anti-Catholic.
Having said that - and with full understanding on the above bias- there are wonderful meditations on the novel inside.

[Sarah McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the pleasure of taking a seminar on The Brothers Karamazov with Dr. Contino this semester. This book is an eye-opening analysis of the text from an intriguing, nuanced angle.

[Jacob Neplokh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not Christian, nor have I read TBK…but it still managed to be a good book. It was also lovely to meet Prof. Contino!

Anyways, looking forward to rereading once I finish TBK the way Contino first read it: as a summer “beach read”