So I’m just kind of a regular books person. Not too bookworm, not yet, cause I want to be part of that thing. I love classic novels, especially Dostoevsky and other Russian literature like Leo Tolstoy. I think I feel something different when I read that stuff. You know, it’s hard to describe the feeling. It’s just me and my inner emotion trying to understand Russian literature, especially if it’s Dostoevsky.
I read like a bunch of his collection, not all, just several. I already read White Nights, Crime and Punishment, and also The Brothers Karamazov. I plan to read The Gambler next.
I didn’t know people often say Dostoevsky is hard to read, but for real, it is. The first time I read Crime and Punishment, I just started to realize this isn’t a structural or procedural book. It’s a novel. Sad me, before tasting any kind of classical novel, I just read some books that literally tell you some guide on how to do things, or just a bunch of self improvement collections like Atomic Habit and How to Win Friends. Yeah, my journey started from books like that.
After watching a collection of YouTuber reviews, I found a new genre that I liked: classic novels. Besides being cheap because most of them are public domain, they actually contain something that I never regret finding. Classic novels like White Nights by Dostoevsky tell you about romance in a deep meaningful way, without any bullshit guide like “How to Treat Your Friends” or other books like that. I love when it brings commentary about persona and human life in an elegant way. The character of the dreamer reminds me of modern man who wants to take or get some ideal wife or partner, but they just keep dreaming, or maybe deep down they dive into the enjoyment of hallucination for the ideal partner they like. That’s sadly very reasonable for me as well.
I got a special friend from another country, and she also loves Dostoevsky. When I told her to read Crime and Punishment, she absolutely loved it. She cried for that story, and it’s very reasonable because after reading several Dostoevsky books, I get that feeling. The feeling when you read Dostoevsky is full of hope, but at the same time you get hugely heartbroken and emotionally torn down, even though you also get hope because you learn from the story. That feeling is a beautiful inner emotion, but at the same time it doesn’t consume you with false happiness. You just have to realize that this harsh and horrid situation that comes with sadness is part of the beauty of life.
That’s my interpretation of Dostoevsky’s books in general. Again, I’m not finished with all his work yet, but I’m planning to do it.
Okay, I will give some short descriptions of each book I learned from Dostoevsky.
First, White Nights. I got a very romantic deep learning, and isn’t it romantic for all types of vibes? It’s also related to the dreams of man.
Second, Crime and Punishment. I need to be very selective and gain more critical thinking to adapt with harsh situations. Hope is not false; it’s gained into human emotion and how we can adapt with true rules or certain self made rules that were accidentally just created depending on the situation. I know from the description of Crime and Punishment it’s very hard to read and understand, but at least I tried to give meaning to it. You guys who read my blog can take my reference as an interpretation for that book.
And last one is The Brothers Karamazov. I’m currently still confused about how I can describe this book. Maybe later I’ll elaborate or continue this writing to describe it, because it’s very complicated. I mean, I feel everything. For me right now, The Brothers Karamazov is the most hard to read from Dostoevsky. I hope it doesn’t take too long to start rereading all of it and I can fully complete the collection of Dostoevsky’s saga.
So yeah, this story and journey isn’t over yet. I’m still going to explore more of Dostoevsky’s mind through his pieces. My name is Ramenaru, and I’m currently on the journey to read all of Dostoevsky’s pieces. This path is still not over yet, and I’m very careful to complete it. Once in a lifetime, you must read at least one Dostoevsky piece. It fills you with creative feelings.
Thanks.