Crime and Punishment (Easy Classics)

Written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Gemma Barder

Narrated by Dan Bottomley

An adapted and illustrated edition of the Russian classic, at an easy-to-read level for all ages!
Once a promising young student, Raskolnikov does not know how he ended up poor and miserable. Determined to get his life back on track, he commits a terrible act. But as his desperate mother and sister turn up on his doorstep, and a stern police detective starts sniffing around, Raskolnikov’s troubles may not be over after all.
Will Raskolnikov be punished for his crime, or will the guilt get him first?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sweet Cherry Publishing
• Release date: Aug 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781782267843

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Fyodor Dostoyevsky was born in Moscow in 1821. He died in 1881 having written some of the most celebrated works in the history of literature, including Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, and The Brothers Karamazov.

Reviews for Crime and Punishment (Easy Classics)

[andjhostet-527429 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic book, really up my alley. I loved the psychological and philosophical ramblings. I loved any and all dialog between Raskolnikov and Porfiry, and Raskolnikov and Sonya. The cat and mouse game between Porfiry and Rodya was particularly compelling. Some of the monologues and dialogues could drag a bit at times, and this book took me a long time to get through (almost a month). As much as I enjoyed it, I have to say that I am glad I'm finished with it. Raskolnikov's dark psyche was getting to me after a bit and making me broody.

Favorite quote (Spoilers):

Can't you see that I must have known that if I'd already started asking myself the question, "Do I have a right to power?", then it already meant I didn't. Or that if I asked, "Is a human being a louse?", then man was certainly no louse for me, only for someone to whom the question never occurs, and who sets off without asking questions.. And if I'd already tormented myself for so many days wondering, "Would Napoleon have gone or wouldn't he?", then I obviously knew that I was no Napoleon.. I endured all the agony of this empty talk, Sonya, all of it, and now I just wanted to shake it off. I wanted to kill without casuistry, Sonya, to kill for myself, for myself alone! I didn't want to lie about it, not even to myself! It wasn't to help mother that I killed - nonsense! It wasn't to acquire funds and power that I killed, so as to make myself a benefactor of humanity. Nonsense! I just killed. I killed for myself, for myself alone; and whether I'd become anyone's benefactor or spend my entire lite as a spider, catching Everyone in my web and sucking out their vital juices, shouldn't have mattered to me one jot at that moment!...

[jonbrammer-788089 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Raskolnikov's crime is a form of rebellion against the depraved society in which he lives: his nihilism is justified by his own ego. He compares himself to Napoleon more than once, making me wonder if Dostoevsky read Nietzsche's theories of der ubermensch.

The criminal's redemption at the feet of Sonya, former prostitute with a heart of gold, feels a little bit tacked on.

[saschenka-316193 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Perhaps the most ‘readable’ of Dostoevsky’s work, Crime and Punishment takes a look at duality and morality, the heart in conflict with itself. The characters can seem over the top to modern readers, and there are passages that seem long-winded; also a deus ex machina contrivance that strains credibility. Yet there is always a sense of an author truly trying to figure things out, who feels great compassion for his characters. The novel captures a moment in time, 19th century St. Petersburg in between the late Romantic and the Utilitarian, or rational egoist, as Dostoyevsky’s attitudes changed from his time with the Petrashevsky Circle to his post-prison rapprochement with Church and State. The idea of suffering being the basis for happiness rather than a socialist or rationalist plan for living, is a central theme.The book can be surprisingly funny, artistic in its depiction of St. Petersburg light, simplistic especially in its female characters, and both maddening and endearing in equal measure.

[ffortsa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My reading circle took two months to read and discuss this, and the first third of the book was heavy going for me. The obsessive thoughts of a neurotic can get frustrating to read. But the rest of the text really picked up speed. The characters and situations in St. Petersburg are exquisitely detailed, and it seems the city itself is the cause of much of the ills of the people we see. Poverty, the harsh power of the social strata, lack of privacy, and the desperate situation of women outside the upper classes is shown with unblinking honesty. It is not the action at the center of the book that is important - it is the swirl of characters around Raskolnikov and his family that is the story.

[la2bkk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As always, Dostoevsky's works are complex and appeal on many levels. So too with this classic. Nonetheless, the book was simply too long. While it had its moments of fantastic dialog and personalities, and some of the ethical issues are as pertinent today as then, there were too many characters and too much unnecessary language. I'm happy I finally took the time to read this work but feel that the same impact could have been made in more concise book. A recommended read yet in my opinion a somewhat overrated classic.

[farrhon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The tension just keeps building and building.

[beauxarts79 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I know. I know! It's Dostoevsky! But I've read the novel twice and it still just does nothing for me.

[ghost_boy-691444 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first half of this book I really liked, but the second half needed and editor or a new translator. I thought parts of this went on way too long. I think that's the longest two part epilogue I've read in some time. I kind of wish this book was in first person and not third, I feel like it would have been more powerful for a psychological novel.

I did however like this book even though I have a bunch of cirques. I'll admit this is my second Russian novel I've read, but unlike others, I'm not a big fan of their writing style. Maybe I need to read more for this country and my options will change.

What I liked best about this book was the murders oddly. I thought the first half made a great crime novel, but as I said before, the second half changes to something different. I feel like this was two different books made into one book.

I still might read Dostoyevsky's other book in the future, maybe this is his hi overrated "omg everyone read this book right now" novel.

[benkaboo-51322 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Having finished part 1: I think this is to some extent like a past-age 'Dexter' a look inside the mind of a murderer. Unlike this Dexter this guy seems like a bit of an idiot, as much as he thinks of himself as a bit of a criminal-mastermind, he comes off a bit more like one of 'regular criminals' that he despises. The writing is great describing very interesting characters and setting up lots of interesting and contrasting ideas that you can sense will be leveraged to illustrate the nature of the main character. I'm loving it and am very keen to read on.

[the_literary_jedi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Listened as an audiobook through the Libby app and read the physical book ISBN listedWhat can one say about Dostoevsky? Russian authors seem to have the lock on human suffering and instability. This is a masterpiece of the human condition and what breakdowns look like.Raskolnikov is immensely guilt-ridden throughout the novel and that translates into manic episodes of paranoia, anger, suffering, penance, passion, and destruction. The way the character reaches his cathartic point by the end of the novel is woven between other characters who are just as guilty in their own lives but who may refuse to admit it as well as those who have guilt thrust upon them by others for different gains.There are a few parts that were confusing to me - the names are a struggle. There are multiple names for the same character; I believe this is a hallmark of Russian culture (one among several) where a person has their given name, a family name, a nickname, and a public name they can use. That can be a bit disconcerting so I kept a Post-It flip out in my book so I could track the different names. There were also a few characters I got confused together [names + connection] and would have to go back and read the section over again. But those small things aside, it's a brilliant novel.This is multiple stories combined into one and each character has interactions with another. There are romantic intrigues, lust-filled confessions, and a moment where the manifesto of enlightenment dims beyond pale only to come back in a later chapter and make perfect sense.This is also an example of an examination of family, money and poverty, and free will. Raskolnikov exercises what he feels is his right as an intelligent man but overall, the result leads him into madness.There is one section I had a hard time getting through - it involves animal cruelty; this is not uncommon in classic literature as most people saw animals as dumb beasts of burden and these several pages long episode is cruel. I am a bleeding heart when it comes to animals so this particular scene got me in the nuggets.As an English teacher, I would recommend this to my students, especially in upper grades {11-12} and most adult readers who have the time to spend investigating the maps at the beginning of the novel and flipping back and forth for name placement.**All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

[write5review · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Time to Dust Off This Classic

Chances are you have Crime and Punishment somewhere on your bookshelf, and either you have read it a long, long time ago (most probably in high school or college), or you have read parts of it, or you have started it only to return it to the bookshelf for the future, or you have promised yourself to read it, along with other classics of world literature but, well, there’s never seemed to have been enough time. Now, with fewer distractions and with your own maturity of life experiences under your belt, this might just be the time to dig in. If psychological melodrama, a story rich in cultural ideas at odds with each other, and a particularly complex character in turmoil appeal to you, you’ll find Crime and Punishment ideal and rewarding, in addition to thought provoking.

So influential and well-known, no doubt you’re already familiar with the basic outline of the story. A young student, 23, Raskolnikov, residing in St. Petersburg, has dropped his university studies and lives in poverty. He decides for a variety of reasons, which all come to bear as the novel progresses as justifications and rationalizations, to murder and steal from a pawnbroker with whom he has pawned items for cash. After much vacillation, a trial attempt, and planning, he carries out his crime. In the process, he also murders the pawnbroker’s handicapped sister when she stumbles in on the crime scene. Having thoroughly bungled the crime, he flees in panic, having the good fortune to leave undetected in the crowded apartment house by either tenants or workmen in an apartment nearby. The planning, execution, and aftermath of the crime overwhelm him and for a good portion of the novel manifest not only as psychological turmoil but also physical illness. Other pressures, primary among them the impending marriage of his sister for financial reasons and his involvement in a cat and mouse game with chief of investigations Porfiry Petrovich, add to the turbulence swirling in his head .

Dostoevsky lived in interesting and transitional times in Russia. Among other things, the growing influence of outside Western thought, the character of the motherland, and the intellectual battle between, for simplification’s sake, rationalism, utilitarianism, and orthodox spiritualism concerned him. These all get an airing not only as parts of Raskolnikov’s inner battle but also as characteristics of and ideas expressed by various characters, with Sonia Marmeladov arguably being the most important, as she ultimately enables Raskolnikov to find resurrection, salvation, and ultimately peace.

Which is to say there’s a lot more going on in this novel than a guy committing an ill conceived crime, then torturing himself over, while also trying to avoid capture. It’s this whirlwind of ideas and philosophies that impart to the novel its richness, make it among the great works of world literature, and such a rewarding and unforgettable reading experience. There’s never been a better time to give it a try.

[featherbear · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Applies to the Kindle Edition of the Penguin translation by Oliver Ready. As readable as the one I’m most familiar by Constance Garnett, & I’m sure more accurate. Good, detailed notes that explain the cultural context & the St. Petersburg locations of the time. Insightful introduction. Has a “cast of characters” section which should be in more modern editions of long 19th century novels, or even contemporary ones, like Stephen King. Not simply a list, Ready also explains the implications of the names that are suggestive of theological & philosophical concepts that a non-reader of the language or the political & religious movements of the times would not be familiar with. Insightful introduction by the translator. Too bad he hasn’t translated more Dostoyevsky – I find the Peaver/Volkhonsky ones to be a slog. Another plus that isn’t always the case with the Kindle editions—this one has page numbers; the default location identifier in the Kindles is often just x digits of y total digits, which makes citations impossible. I was reading the Oxford World’s Classics edition of Little Dorrit even though I own a paperback copy of the same edition, because, at my age, the print of most of the Oxfords is way too small. I had to keep the hardcopy by my side for reference to get a better visual of where I was in the 900 p. Dickens novel. The experience of the novel in Garnett (high school/college, read at least twice) & Ready is sensational, more gripping & faster moving than the Stephen King novel I finished the week before, and King thrillers move like a bullet train. I read D.’s Demons aka Devils in a Magarshack translation many years later, & I’d forgotten how much C&P anticipates it with characters addled by Chernyshevsky, and which might as well have been satirizing the progressives of the late 60’s early 70’s from my college years. The thing to keep in mind is that D.’s novels are funny in an appalling over the top way; he’s a master of scenes where things simply go off the rails. Consider the funeral supper for Marmeladov where his widow Katerina Ivanovna goes hammer & tongs with her German landlady and ends up out on the streets thinking she will make a living playing the barrel organ while whacking her dazed children to make them dance & sing. The grotesque black humor I can’t help thinking King re-imagined in the scene of the son’s funeral in Pet Semetery where Dad’s brawl with the in-laws knocks the child’s coffin to the floor. The other thing is he can be like Dickens on steroids – Svidrigailov could be the reincarnation of Quilp drooling over Little Nell when he describes his 16 year old “fiancée” to Raskolnikov: ”That lovely fair hair of hers, done up in those sweet little lamb’s curls, those chubby little lips, those little legs. Just adorable!” (576). And Sonya Semyonovna is more virtuously operatic than Little Amy Dorrit in her redemptive powers; the scene where Raskolnikov confesses to her truly brought me to tears. C&P: you’ll laugh – not to forget Luzhin, the latter day Uriah Heep -- you’ll cry. Be that as it may, I agree with Ready that D.’s Raskolnikov protagonist is disturbingly ambivalent. Is he resurrected by Christian charity or has a legion of devils simply taken over our hero-murderer, jumping from Svidrigailov to the highly suggestible ex-student after D.’s surrogate, modernized devil commits suicide? Rascal Raskolnikov might be redeemed by his Mary Magdalene, but he could also be a conservative bete-noir, the murderer who skates by calling up all sorts of environmental excuses & acts of charity to get a reduced sentence. The doting mother who can never believe her son would do that but her subconscious knows; the sister who is shocked but “moves on” – characters you see on the Internet all too often. Even after sentencing he still thinks murdering the pawnbroker was justified (like killing the Jews in the 20th century) & he conveniently forgets he also murdered the pawnbroker’s pious, kindly, abused sister, the double as it were of Sonya. Does he ever feel any remorse for his deeds? Is D. using spirituality to give the audience a happy epilogue? Is D. being the devious politician who gives the libertarians and the evangelicals what they want even though what either party wants is exactly what the opposite party does not. I mean, if there was a kernel of remorse in the knave, why didn’t he turn himself in immediately? He doesn’t seem particularly afraid of “punishment.” But that would be a short story. Reading C&P is almost like looking over the shoulder of a novelist as actor, constantly asking himself, as they do nowadays, What’s my motive? What’s my motive?” For me, the motive issue is less about the decision to commit the crime, but more about the endless games R. plays to avoid admitting guilt, if he ever does, with Porfiry like a critic constantly hectoring the novelist about his various stratagems for delaying the inevitable conclusion.

[nadineeg-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After 40 years of owning the books and 5 days of reading I can now honestly say not only have I read Crime and Punishment, but I enjoyed it very much. I found it an interesting literary explanation of the society of St Petersburg in the mid to late 1800s when St Petersburg was the capital of Russia. it is sad to realise that so many of the themes are still common today, Undiagnosed mental illness, poverty, homelessness, debt, gambling addictions, anarchy, predators of women and children, the only thing unmentioned is homosexuality. The main character is Raskolnikov, who believes he has planned the perfect crime with his intention of murdering an old woman who is a money-lender. The pathology of Raskolnikov's mental health includes bi-polar, mania, probably anxiety enough for a school of psychologists to work with. He is also described as a hypochondriac, and may well have been by the definition of the day, but not by today's standards for he is not a malingerer, he is severely depressed, failing to eat for day on end,quitting university, pushing away people who want to help him, yet at the same time, he tries to help the most destitute of individuals even giving away money his mother has given him, to a widow with three children and a step daughter so that the widow can giver her husband a proper funeral. Underneath the character of Raskolnikov is an educated and kind man trying to get out. He is surrounded by scoundrels who use their comparative wealth to impress those around them especially the poor, and who use their wealth as 'evidence' of their moral character as they so believe themselves to have. Again, 200 years have passed and not a lot has changed, and of all the themes of Crime and Punishment, this, I think the writer would be horrified to discover. Recommended for a holiday read - really, you the reader will look super intelligent and you will gain tremendous insights into humanity.

[jguidry-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this psychological character study. The main character was not likable, but I still found myself mesmerized by his story. The ending was perfect for the true nature of the novel and I enjoyed that, too. The supporting characters were interesting, too. I enjoyed the twists and turns, as they mirrored human nature.

[mldavis2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Classic struggle between impulsive behavior and psychological consequences.

[nx74defiant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov commits murder. And we learn of his mental anguish. He isn't a particularly likeable character. Yet his story is very interesting. It does make it keep your interest.

[mickyfine · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Raskolnikov, an impoverished former student in St. Petersburg spends a 100ish pages deciding whether or not to commit a murder and then another 500ish pages going in various mental circles about whether or not to turn himself in after he does commit the murder.The writing here is well done and the translation is also excellent as it doesn't have that stilted and removed feeling I've noted in several translated novels I've read recently. I can see why it's an enduring classic but I was kind of hate reading long passages of this. There are many sections where paragraphs stretch across multiple pages, which is exhausting to read, particularly when spending so much time inside the head of a character whose thoughts are convoluted but also circular. Also, Dostoyevsky's female characters often serve as little more than window dressing with no real careful examination of their internal lives. If you're on a classics kick, this isn't a terrible read but it isn't one I'll ever recommend.

[jakebornheimer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book gripped me from beginning to end. While written off by some as melodramatic and emotional, I found Dostoyevsky's portrayal of his character's inner struggles to be real & enthralling. Raskolnikov is probably one of the best "nonsympathetic" characters ever because even so I still felt for him! Honourable mention to Svidrigailov who absolutely fascinated me throughout the story. The brief descriptions of the penal colony in the epilogue made me interested in reading more about Dostoyevsky's own experiences there (in Notes from a Dead House). I also read The Brothers K this year, which I felt had a much more satisfying arc, emotional climax, and ending on the whole. Still, C&P was a great read and I'm ready for more!

[jonfaith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It was bitter cold last night. The trip from work to the kitchen was uneventful enough. I prepared soup and awaited my wife. After dinner, I placed Sonny Rollins' 9/11 Concert on the stereo and sat down with the last 52 pages of Crime and Punishment. the greatest testament I can afford the novel conclusion is that for 25 minutes I didn't hear any jazz, only Dostoevsky's denouement

[yhgail · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very Russian

[stbalbach_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I hate to give such as well known classic a low star rating. Maybe it's because I read the Pevear & Volokhonsky translation, or listened to it in audio. Or maybe Dostoevsky intentionally set out to make the reader feel the mental sickness/madness of the main character, like an unpleasant fever-dream. The first two chapters were great and promising, but the remaining melodramatic and plodding (a trait shared by some other 1850s and 60s classic novels). The best aspects are Dostoevsky's insights on human nature, but to get those ideas requires ascribing motives, thoughts and ideas to his characters that do not feel authentic; the characters are like projections of Dostoevsky himself thus lacking a believable psychology. I'm glad to have read it because it is so famous, but life is short so I look to the classics for a sure thing and this did not deliver. I read The House of the Dead which was great, so may give Dostoevsky another try later.

[comfypants · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A depressed man does some crime, is unhappy about the consequences.2.5/4 (Okay).This is my first Russian novel, and it's a 1960's translation, so I'm a little surprised how straightforward and modern the style is. The story's not great, though. Dostoyevsky clearly started writing with some ideas he wanted to put across, but no plan for exactly how he was going to do it. And while there are a lot of characters and individual scenes that I like quite a bit, they're mostly incidental.

[saresmoore · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The rating is for this specific translation by Oliver Ready. I didn't care for the over-colloquial tone of his dialogue choices, but reading in a different translation made this book a wonderful reading experience. Comparing translations was enlightening, as well.

[margaretfield · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

so much there; duh

[innahlovesyou · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I actually liked the book, and it made me think about the meaning of life. A little bit of boring, but worth the time.

[valerieandbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thanks to Crime and Punishment being a #1001Books and a read-a-long with some Litsy members, I finally got around to tackling this Russian masterpiece. Admittedly, my reading experience was enhanced by being able to discuss this book with the others: the memorable characters, the story, the feeling of dread that most of us felt, and comparing various translations. I started out with the Oliver Ready translation, but found the older (and reputedly less accurate) Constance Garnett translations to be more readable; so was switching back and forth frequently between the two versions.I am by no means a Dostoevsky expert after reading this or Notes from Underground recently, but found him far less intimidating than anticipated, and definitely plan to read his other works eventually.

[michael_rose-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well, it's a good book. Enjoyable enough. I found the first half a little harder to get through, but I knocked it out quickly enough. His writing style isn't exactly what I expected, but I found it useful in perhaps formulating my own. Though fictional, it's also one of those works that offers an excellent snapshot of a particular place and time, in this case late 19th Century Russia.

[solitaryfossil · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing, phenomenal, and well deserved to be called a masterpiece. For some reason, I had in my head that it would be about the Crime, of course, and then being in prison, with long pondering about guilt, remorse, etc. - and very dry. But I was completely wrong. It was exciting, suspenseful, with intriguing sub-plots and many layers to be uncovered. Wonderful, and I highly recommend it!

[kakadoo202 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Surprisingly easy read. Long though.

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's easy to see why this is considered a classic. The characters are unforgettable, and the issue of whether crime is ever justified remains all too topical. Yes, Dostoyevsky can be challenging to read, but he is well worth the effort...and as you get into the story, the effort will disappear.