The Idiot

By: Fyodor Dostoevsky

Narrated by: Michael Sheen

Prince Lef Nikolayevitch Muishkin is one of the great characters in Russian literature. Is he a saint or just naive, an idealist or, as many in General Yepanchin's society feel, an 'idiot'? Certainly, his return to St. Petersburg after years in a Swiss clinic has a dramatic effect on the beautiful Aglaya, youngest of the Yepanchin daughters and on the charismatic but willful Nastasia Phillipovna. As he paints a vivid picture of Russian society, Dostoyevsky shows how principles conflict with emotions - with tragic results.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©1995 NAXOS AudioBooks Ltd. (P)1995 NAXOS AudioBooks Ltd.

Good but different

This is an excellently written piece but the action and appeal of it is entirely psychological, there is no "action" and its nuances obscure, but if you enjoy a complex, meditative book about people and their emotions, it is supurb.

They don't write like this anymore.

Absolutely brilliant story with deep relational, societal, and philosophical context. Succint and thorough in revealing the characters and the plot with no unneeded exposition.

The Idiot

OOOh, very very long and very slow. I gave up once,but being stubborn, I decided to finish the book although it was really quite slower than my commute:). I felt the whole book could been condensed on two disks instead of 20. Crime and Punishment was much much better