A Descent into the Mind: Crime and Punishment Book Review

 BOOK REVIEW - I

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT BY FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY

To call Crime and Punishment just a novel would be an understatement! It is an unsettling journey deep into the human psyche. What struck me most was his engaging writing style right from the first chapter. He doesn't just tell you a story, but pulls you into the very consciousness of his character, 'Raskolnikoff' or as I prefer to call him 'Rodia'. 

The internal monologue, feverish dreams, and suffocating paranoia will keep you hooked till the very end. The author makes sure that you don't just observe Rodia's torment, but feel it as well. As far as I can observe, the author's psychological insight can truly be seen in the transformation in the character of Rodia from Part 4. In early sections of the novel, he is a man driven by an intellectual theory of "extra ordinary men" that extraordinary men have the right to transgress moral boundaries for a greater good. His act of murder of old pawnbroker is a test of this theory and for better half of a novel, his immense pride and state of delirium keeps him afloat in self-justification. 

However, as the story moves on to Part 4, Rodia's carefully constructed world begins to shatter. The psychological cat and mouse game with the investigator Peter Petrovich, chips away at his intellectual arrogance. He isn't sure anymore about 'right to transgress' theory. Moreover, his encounters with Sonia begins to soften him and makes him feel the need for confession and redemption. 

Rodia becomes vulnerable, his isolation breaking down, and the 'extra ordinary men' theory shatters, leaving him exposed to the crushing weight of his crime. 

Crime and Punishment is an exploration of guilt, redemption, the nature of good and evil, and the psychological consequences of our actions. The authors ability to portray the inner lives of Rodia with such intensity makes this novel a compelling read.