Dostoyevsky is intensely introspective and emotional ( )

This novel has been profoundly instrumental in the shaping of my own existential philosophy and Christian faith, perhaps more than any other, and easily falls into my top ten favourite novels. On the surface, the plot is quite simple and it contains two primary aspects: one is a drama of patricide and the other is the conflicting development of three brothers, the libertine, the intellectual and the faithful. But underneath all of this, and what determines the actions of the characters, is the philosophical ideology which Dostoevsky expresses primarily in the renowned essay, "The Grand Inquisitor", which is a masterpiece of writing in and of itself. It is as a result of these findings that we are invited into the unique psyches of our characters to find out what determines each one's behaviour, and we are thus met with Dostoevsky's own view of life, expressed most acutely in the brothers' separate destinies. ( )

Thirty years ago, at the university, when I read this for the first time I was more interested in the philosophical lines of thought. This time, I was much more impatient with the characters in the novel. I had far less tolerance of their deep flaws. Thirty years ago, though I saw the tragedy in the characters I found emotional release and a kind of pleasure in experiencing the novel. This time I was kept thinking, "make it stop" Mitya is too much. Ivan is too much. Smerdyakov is just awful. This prosecutor is ridiculous. How long can this defense attorney drone on about nothing? Thirty years ago, the lesson of the triumph of child-like faith was mostly lost on me or at least I don't remember thinking about it. Ilyusha had not the smell of decay. The sure-Saint Zossima decayed prematurely. The simple and uncelebrated faith of a little boy received only the brief press of the author's comment. Alyosha and his band of boy disciples would swear to treaure his memory but the greater community might have forgotten him completely. Yet, this boys simple faith could conquer death and its stink. Only one boy received the rebuke of Alyosha. It was the one boy who wanted to grow up, who wanted to be a free thinking man before manhood. It was the teenage boy, Kolya, who tried to snuff out another boys significance, but was contradicted by Alyosha. Yet even he was affirmed as being fully significant in the eyes of God and fully eligable for a resurrection and reunion at the end of the age. A beautiful, lengthy, difficult and rewarding novel. If I keep my wits I hope to read it a third time in this life. ( )

3.5/5 Having gotten through MIDDLEMARCH, ANNA KARENINA--even WAR AND PEACE, I was never so happy to reach 100% on my Kindle. As a former high school English teacher, the one thing I stressed to students over and over when writing was to SHOW and not TELL. Oh, does this novel have too much telling. It's brilliant in parts and overall a compelling story, yet, all that remains in my head is #blahblahblah. Couldn't have finished without the #hashtagbrigade on Litsy. ( )

Long. Arduous. A lot to think about. Good. ( )