Ruby Granger’s Reviews > The Brothers Karamazov > Status Update

Oh! I am also reading The Brothers Karamazov - what a lovely coincidence! I've been enjoying it.

Im currently reading this too and it's my first Dostoyevsky. I'm in the second half and I'm not feeling it. I admire it as a philosophical work, but as a novel there's very little here for me.

I read it in Russian a long time ago, and maybe someday I will read it in English, when I reach a high level in the language, so as not to spend eternity on a book))

@Tom It's usually recommended as the last Dostoevsky novel to read, as it's arguably the most complex in its subject matter. The Idiot was my first and to this day it's still my favourite (although I'm due a reread). Others recommend starting with Crime and Punishment, though it's personally my least favourite of his novels.

There's no shame in disliking Dostoevsky though. For one, it's very apparent that he was paid by the word.

@coffee&quasars I’m definitely not giving up on him. I’ve got a copy of The Idiot which I might read this year, and I wish I’d started with it

I think the effect of Brothers K is cumulative. The narrative builds slowly but there is some high drama in it, just takes a while to get there. I always rec Crime & Punishment as the entry point but Brothers K is such a satisfying read, and just as accessible (especially if you take breaks when you need them). The Idiot is my fave but I don't find it more accessible than Brothers K, just shorter.