The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

i read this book over 2 months. It took me quite a while as I still sometimes struggle with reading and concentration, which I think has something to do with my head space and mental health at different times. Sometimes, I could read this easily while other times I struggled and I think this was also to do with what was happening in the plot and how interested I was.

I felt like this book was one of them books where as you read them, nothing happens, however to have read it and thinking of it after makes it worth the read, if that makes sense? Dostoyevsky is known to write books that are philosophical so they're more to think back over and read into and read over.
(note: i just realised that the cover spells his last name incorrectly omg).

The Idiot is a classic Russian philosophical novel first published in 1868-69 in a journal called 'The Russian Messenger'. The protagonist called 'Myshkin' is known as 'The Idiot' as his goodness and open-hearted actions lead to other characters pinning him as unintelligent. The novel was written after Dostoyevsky was sentenced to capital punishment and before being killed sentenced to hard labour instead. This key point in his life was said to be a changing point, hence why this novel focuses on the positives to life.

I found it quite difficult to read with the Russian names so if you read it make sure you actually read the names instead of just making a weird noise in your head like i did.

I didn't not enjoy to the point where I never want to read another of the author's book as I am thinking of reading crime & punishment in the future, but I didn't adore this book and can still appreciate it as a piece of history & literature and I'm glad to have read it.

I watched an interesting video on Dostoyevsky by The School of Life. I only watched the Idiot part as that's the only book of his I've read which begins at 8:55.