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The Idiot

By Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Penguin Classics
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4.21 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 210,524 ratings, 11,411 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a profound exploration of the collision between innocence and societal corruption. It follows Prince Myshkin, a noble and kind-hearted protagonist, as he returns to Russia from a Swiss sanatorium. Throughout his interactions with aristocratic society, his inherent goodness and sincerity lead to both admiration and misunderstanding, revealing the complexities and often harsh realities of human nature.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy exploring the complexities of human nature and the clash between innocence and a corrupt society. Set against 19th-century Russian society, it presents a profound psychological portrait of its characters, full of compassion and tragedy, offering a deep dive into the struggle between good and evil. If you appreciate a contemplative narrative that delves into philosophical and existential themes, this masterpiece might captivate you.

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Returning to St Petersburg from a Swiss sanatorium, the gentle and naive epileptic Prince Myshkin - pays a visit to his distant relative General Yepanchin and proceeds to charm the General, his wife, and his three daughters. But his life is thrown into turmoil when he chances on a photograph of the beautiful Nastasya Filippovna.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A new translation of Dostoyevsky's great novel of suffering and sickness.

Inspired by an image of Christ's suffering, Dostoyevsky set out to create a protagonist with "a truly beautiful soul" and to trace the fate of such an individual as he comes into contact with the brutal reality of contemporary society.

The novel begins when the innocent epileptic Prince Myshkin — the idiot — arrives in St Petersburg and finds himself drawn into a web of violent and passionate relationships that leads to blackmail, betrayal, and eventually murder.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Idiot is highly praised for its deep exploration of human suffering and beauty, often described as compelling and remarkable. Critics regard it as a masterpiece on par with Dostoyevsky's other significant works, celebrating its rich and vibrant language, particularly in recent translations. The narrative is noted for its powerful and captivating storytelling.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780140447927

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 27 May 2004

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by David McDuff
  • Cover design or artwork by Ron Arad
  • Translated by David McDuff

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 35.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 534g

Pages: 784

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About the Author

Moscow-born Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky (1821-1881) served time in a convict prison for his political alliances, and in his later years his passion for gambling led him deeply into debt. His novels include The Devils and The Brothers Karamazov. David McDuff has translated widely from the Russian, including for Penguin Classics, Crime and Punishment and Tolstoy's Kreutzer Sonata. Introducer William Mills Todd III is Professor of Slavic Languages at Harvard.

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