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TumbleweedOne7032 t1_ja7nih0 wrote

it's just a book with words and stuff - now one can answer this question except you: pick it up and start reading

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ztreHdrahciR t1_ja7ofyu wrote

I found it easier than War and Peace, which was a real slog.

You'll know within a couple.of chapters. It's a good book

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whoisyourwormguy_ t1_ja7v24t wrote

The Garnett version is a lot easier if you wanted to try that, the P&V translation might be closer to his prose style, but it is also clunkier.

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BinstonBirchill t1_ja80vm5 wrote

I always recommend challenging yourself with your reading, not every book but enough so that you expand what you’re comfortable with.

The biggest hang up some people have is the Russian naming system. And the writing itself is different than modern writing but by no means impossible.

His Notes from Underground is short and worth reading to get used to his writing. But I jumped right into Crime and Punishment and loved it without fully taking everything in. Dostoevsky is one of my favorites.

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The_Inner_Child t1_ja8hv2o wrote

I haven’t read No Longer Human (yet) I can’t comment on the similarity. Crime and punishment is where the main character has a superiority complex, an inferiority complex, suicidal tendencies, egomaniac tendencies, and maniac depression all at once and it’s a glorious ball of character complexity. Beware, the main character goes in twenty page monologues which might not be your cup of tea.

If you’re going to read it in English, I recommend the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation.

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CrazyCatLady108 t1_ja8nrs1 wrote

Please post 'Should I read X book''What do I need to know before I read X' questions, in our Weekly Recommendation Thread.

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