Glenny's translation is far better than Ginsburg's, so I recommend his version. Of course, for any pure Bulgakov fan, it is interesting to read both translations just to see what - if anything - is different. That makes for a study in itself! ( )

When I think about characters depicted in the history of religion, the character of the devil and the mystery surrounding him (or her) is by far most fascinating. For one, there is no agreement on where he comes from. Was he a creation of God that had to exist to oppose what is good and just and to create a universal balance that must be maintained in order for life to be what it is? Or was he a little jinni that refused to bow down to a human, and was cursed to eternity by the Almighty?

In the way he behaves, does the devil target individuals and societies and rummages through them creating havoc and chaos? Or is he, like God, closer to us than our own veins?

Can he be spoken to like God is prayed to? If so, does he answer our pleads the way God (some claim) answers our prayers?

And what powers does this devil have? Can he start a fire or cause an accident by flicking a switch when no one is looking? Or does he whisper in our ears convincing us that all that is good, is really bad?

The Master and Margarita begins with a conversation between an editor of a literary magazine and a poet. They briefly dicuss the existence of God before they are gently yet awkwardly interrupted by a stranger, who in turn gets slightly agitated that literary pair do not believe in God, or the devil for that matter. From then on, readers are introduced to some of the most charismatic characters in literature. The stranger and his retinue create some of the most memorable chaotic moments, and wreak havoc across Moscow in fascinating and mesmerising ways.

While the stranger and his friends are visiting Moscow, the author takes us back to the moments before the execution of Jesus. He introduces us to Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator who approved, against his own will, the execution of Jesus. In between the two storylines, he subtly weaves in a third about a lady called Margarita and her lover, the master.

The seriousness of the three stories is told with such a light-hearted, and at times hilarious, prose that I constantly had to remind myself that there is a deeper meaning behind the highly entertaining plot. In one way, the book can be treated as a page-turner. I am sure you will love Behemoth when you meet him, and the love story will make you feel all fuzzy on the inside. In other ways, the book serves as a reminder of how one had to write in an oppressed society. If you were an opinionated writer who was reluctant to lose their life, and Stalin was the leader of your country, you too would find ways to offend without appearing as if you were offending. It just so happens that Mikhail Bulgakov was an amazing writer who told an excitingly bitter story without appearing too bitter, and produced one hell of a book.

The one thing I love about the Russian books that I have read including this one, is their inherent tendency to sympathise with a character who is not necessarily good. In portraying evil, they always show a side of a character or introduce an event that makes you think that maybe this one time, evil was the right way of addressing it. The grey lines between good and evil are quite bold in Russian literature, and this book is the best example of that.

Of course, like most great books, there are tens (if not hundreds) of themes and symbols throughout the book. Having fun picking them out! ( )

Originally intended as a political satire, Bulgakov may or may not have known what an enduring fable he wrote. ( )

Possibly one of the oddest books I have ever read, the Master and the Margarita took me quite a while to get through! I was lent it by a friend who insisted it was his favourite book, and I must admit that it took me a while to get into the somewhat bizarre story.

Where should I start...what an imagination! Set in 1930s Soviet Moscow, the Devil appears in the city, masquerading as a magician in one of the city's theatres causing havoc amongst the Russian literary circle and ultimately the city itself. Followed by an entourage of misfits, including a huge talking cat, the Devil's plans appear to wreak utter chaos among the populus. His story soon becomes entwined with that of the titular Master, a reclusive author of a novel about Pontius Pilate (which in itself becomes a secondary storyline set in the last days of Christ's life), and his lover, the Margarita.

Complete with a stunning cast of minor characters to rival even Dicken's work, The Master and Margarita is an example of political satire at its best, with humour and wit, yet bursting with the fantastical and with an air of the ridiculous. I am by no means an expert in Russian literature, and I imagine reading a good translation would be essential for enjoyment of this novel, which I felt was achieved with the Penguin edition. The characters are definitely the main allure of this strange story, with an amusing twist on the typical devious demons, loveable heros and plucky heroines. I will not pretend to have understood this entire novel, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and think I would benefit from a reread later once the shock and bewilderment has worn off! Any further description may put you off reading it, so I shall leave it at this...

Worth a read if you fancy something different!

I thought I was going to read a historical Russian novel, instead I entered a riotous fantasy world featuring Satan, witches on broomsticks, and -- the star of the show -- Behemoth, the larger than life walking and trash-talking black cat. This book is definitely one that is difficult to categorize and analyze. It is a multi-layered interpretation of life in Moscow in the 1930's under Stalin's repression.

The real puzzlement for me was the juxtaposition of the Pontius Pilate story and this historical fantasy. I do understand that Bulgakov was protesting the removal of religion from Russian society, but weaving the story of Christ's trial into this rollicking satire was totally bizarre.

In my mystified state, I am giving the book an above-average rating with the proviso that I will read it again someday after undertaking the due diligence it deserves. Perhaps a thorough reading of Faust and some Russian history is in order. The Master and Margarita was certainly intriguing and inventive; unfortunately I wasn't able to penetrate the deeper meaning of it on my cursory first reading. ( )