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Ratings: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Genre: Psychological Fiction / Crime Fiction / Russian Literature / Philosophical Novel

Book Review:
Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment (1866) is one of the most powerful novels ever written. Rodion Raskolnikov, a poor ex-student in St. Petersburg, murders a greedy pawnbroker, believing that he is an “extraordinary man” above conventional morality. Yet the murder does not bring liberation — it brings madness, paranoia, and unbearable guilt. As the detective Porfiry closes in, Raskolnikov’s psychological torment deepens. Only Sonya, a gentle prostitute, offers him a path to redemption. This is a harrowing exploration of good and evil, justice, suffering, and the possibility of forgiveness. David Magarshack’s crisp translation is a classic of the Penguin series. Essential reading for anyone interested in the depths of the human soul.