Crime and Punishment

This was a good (but long) read. I liked Dostoevsky's Brother's Karamazov better, but this one had its own twists and turns that made for a fun adventure. You don't really know until the very end what's going to happen, so it keeps you reading. I don't want to ruin any of it, but if you're up for a bit of a read in Dostoevsky's style, go for it.

The only things that really bother me about this style are the names, and the lack of place names throughout the text (X. prospect? V. Prospect? Come on!). Everyone has 2 names that are used interchangeably - for instance, the main character is Rodion Romanovich and Raskolnikov. All the names are similar too - there's an Ilya Petrovich and a Pyotr Petrovich in the book. This is just how Russia was, though, so it's OK. Just make sure to pay attention to who is who.

I enjoyed the pre-communist political discourse that's sprinkled throughout the book - particularly the first interview with Porfiry. I'll have to find a non-fiction source that elaborates the different political factions of the time and place someday.