The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
This instant classic by the world renowned author of existential thought, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, is for anyone who enjoys philosophy, a dive into (at least, an attempt at) understanding the complex nature of the human psyche, and an all-time classic mystery novel. Set in a medium size town in Russia, this mind bending novel follows three brothers of a notoriously scandalous father, trying to traverse their way through love, religion, ethics, and how to navigate a world where the answer to life’s biggest questions aren’t always black-and-white. In the heart of a novel you’ll find a parable, The Grand Inquisitor (considered one of the greatest of all time), revolving around the conversation between an atheist and monk about the question of God and if the seemingly great amount of suffering and calamity in the world is… justifiable. Many scholars and readers actually admit to studying this parable before reading the actual book it’s a part of, The Brothers Karamazov. The ending of this parable is one that has troubled, and been the center of, debate amongst scholars and philosophers even to this day. The novel takes a sinister turn when the love triangle between one of the brothers and the father results in a mysterious murder of father Karamazov. Is it as simple as blaming the obvious suspect? Or did something even more nefarious happen in the wee hours of the night at the Karamazov house? The novel ends with an extravagant court trial, one that has grabbed the attention of the entire country of Russia, and is sure to leave the reader with a lot to think about long after finishing the book.
You can find this book in the 800’s of our non-fiction section. If you read this novel and love it, the good news is there are many more great Dostoyevsky novels! Feel free to ask where to look next!
