THE BOOK FAIR

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

Author:      Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Published: 1866

Genre:        Classic

Cover:         Paperback

Pages:         559

Review:

The renowned Russian author, Fyodor Dostoyevsky was born in Moscow, in 1821.  “The Idiot”, The Demon” and “The Brother’s Karamozov,” are only a few of the author’s major works.  Dostoyevsky died in St. Petersburg in 1881.

 

Raskolnikov, an intelligent though poor student, eager to improve his economic station, bandies about the idea of committing a crime.  Having fallen upon hard times, for living expenses, Raskolnikov must pawn a watch.  The pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna, is exploitative and stingy.  Raskolnikov detests the deceitful old woman, believing her wicked and worthless.  She offers him only a small pittance for his watch.

Raskolnikov remembers a conversation he had recently with fellow students.  The idea, that one evil person could be killed, for the greater good of all.  Raskolnikov decides by killing the pawnbroker and taking her money, he can help his mother and sister, and finish his studies, thereby bringing good to the world, which will ameliorate his crime.

 

Considered his best work by many, Dostoyevsky’s brilliant novel of plots and subplots portrays the moral theme of good and evil with realistic characters while offering an amazing view of 19th Century Russia.