The Brothers Karamazov: Bicentennial Edition

Winner of the Pen/Book-of-the-Month Club Translation Prize

The award-winning translation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's classic novel of psychological realism.

The Brothers Karamazov is a murder mystery, a courtroom drama, and an exploration of erotic rivalry in a series of triangular love affairs involving the “wicked and sentimental” Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov and his three sons—the impulsive and sensual Dmitri; the coldly rational Ivan; and the healthy, red-cheeked young novice Alyosha. Through the gripping events of their story, Dostoevsky portrays the whole of Russian life, its social and spiritual striving, in what was both the golden age and a tragic turning point in Russian culture.

This award-winning translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky remains true to the verbal inventiveness of Dostoevsky’s prose, preserving the multiple voices, the humor, and the surprising modernity of the original. It is an achievement worthy of Dostoevsky’s last and greatest novel.

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Published Oct 5, 2021

880 pages

Average rating: 8.55

42 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Khris Sellin
Jul 05, 2024
6/10 stars
I can't believe I finally finished this stinking book! One star for the first half w/all its philosophical BS and ramblings on about NOTHING, and 5 stars for the second half
JimV
Jan 20, 2026
8/10 stars
Worth the effort. This is a long book, clocking in at 895 pages. Three brothers, one father, two different mothers. It had a couple of memorable scenes/essays: the inquisition fable; and Ivan's fevered dream(?).
hershyv
Dec 31, 2025
10/10 stars
This was my first reading of The Brothers Karamazov, and honestly? Gosh, it was wildly entertaining, gripping, dramatic, messy, and a damn good story at its core, with layers of philosophy packed in. I didn’t stop to wrestle with every big and small idea or disappear down philosophical rabbit holes this time. I know that version of me will show up on future rereads. For now, I simply let myself absorb the story in the most straightforward way possible. Turns out you can read Dostoevsky for the plot, the chaos, and the characters first, and still walk away completely enthralled.
baiholland
Jan 29, 2024
9/10 stars
it took me a while to understand what was going on but once i did??? OBSESSED. this book has pulled every emotion from me. it was the perfect introduction into fyodor’s books and i can’t wait to read the rest

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