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Handyandy58 t1_iyeddld wrote

I think that the broad opinion is that he is not a bad author. That doesn't mean you have to enjoy his work. Additionally, unless you're reading in the original Russian, you are reading a translation, which means you are also dealing with someone else's particular style and approach to writing and translating as well. If you're determined to read his work, you might try a different translator.

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True-Abbreviations71 OP t1_iyf5cy2 wrote

Am i right in assuming that a translation can be so different its like a different book?

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Aquila_chrysateos t1_iyfcgw5 wrote

this is a good question and the answer - it depends. But translation is critical to the nuances and impact of the book - e.g. Proust and translations; or Homer as another example. Sometimes can seem like a big difference - especially in the case of Dostoevsky.

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