Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I do not know what my review can add to the Brothers Karamazov, but I will put in a few of my words. I have now read this book six times through and every time I am simply amazed at the complexity of vision that Dostoevsky brought to the page. My copy of the book is littered with page numbers written in the margins that connect the dots between all of the recurring scenes, ideas, images, phrases, and philosophies. It has taken years of sustained thought to be able to draw all of these connections, which makes it somewhat unbelievable that Dostoevsky was able to write it in the time frame that he did. Because of this, though, I have found this translation to be the only reasonable choice for the serious student. Many earlier translations ironed out potentially awkward phrasings, and thereby destroyed the parallelism that was being masterfully established. I have shed so many tears on the pages of my copy of this book that I am surprised it is still holding up as well as it is. There is a sensitivity and beauty to this text that I have never been able to find anywhere else, even in other works by Dostoevsky. It is, quite simply, the most masterful examination of agape (active love), faith, and justice, and redemption that I have ever encountered in my life, in philosophy, history, literature, film, or otherwise. There are no words to offer that can capture how profoundly this book has changed me for the better.