The Master and Margarita

I don't know what to say considering the profound impact it had on many a reader, but I just thought it ok - which is even more damning than being vehemently opposed to it. The story should be enough, revolving around Satan, a talking cat, naked witches, Pilate in the time of Christ and Satan's ball. People lose their heads, run naked in the streets and are disappeared. But it found it flat despite all that.

A fantastic conversation over on Twitter revealed alternatives to the uninspired translations of my Penguin edition done by Pevear and Volokhonsky including those by Diana Burgin and Katherine Tiernan O'Connor and another by Hugh Alpin. It's worth a re-read to find out if I might enjoy it more.

** Just a note that I had the chance to reread the 1995 Diana Burgin and Katherine Tiernan O'Connor translation. This was definitely a more enjoyable read that warrants a solid four stars. Perhaps being familiar with the story reading it a second time made it run more smoothly but I find that the Burgin/O'Connor translation scans better. The Peavar translation on the other hand often tripped me up, making me conscious of the lines and frustrating the flow of information.

The devil comes to Moscow to cause mischief and I'm still not sure what happened.

The wildly surrealist imagery took some warming up to, then I realised I just had to stop thinking and let whatever-the-hell was going on to happen. After that, it became about enjoying the visuals, the silliness of the different characters, the fun use of language.

I'm looking forward to reading this book again sometime.

Favourite section has to be the entire chapter (don't know if spoilers are needed for a book this crazy but) with Margerita as a naked witch on a broomstick. I'm sure there were many layers of meaning to it, maybe allusions to iconic works of the past, but for me it was just a great time.