Cover of The Idiot

The Idiot

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

⏱ 4 hours 🎓 High school+
4.2 (175,000 ratings)
View on Goodreads →
← Back to Library

💡 Why It Matters Today

The Idiot offers timeless insights into human nature, morality, and the complexities of social interactions that resonate with contemporary issues such as mental health, societal expectations, and the struggle for authenticity.

Modern Connections

Debates on mental health and societal pressure today mirror the struggles of Dostoevsky's characters.The rise of social media reflects the societal judgments faced by Prince Myshkin.

💭 Big Ideas

The search for goodness in a corrupted world.

It's hard to be truly good when everyone around you is selfish.

The absurdity of social conventions.

Sometimes the rules we live by don’t make sense and can drive people to madness.

Empathy versus rationality in relationships.

Feeling for others might be more important than logic when connecting with people.

📖 What You'll Learn

🎯 Reader Fit

✅ Good For

  • Readers interested in psychology and deep character studies.
  • Fans of philosophical fiction.
  • Those who enjoy intricate narratives about societal critiques.

⚠ Not Ideal For

  • Readers who prefer fast-paced plots.
  • Those looking for a straightforward or light read.

🤔 Controversies & Critiques

📚 Reading Context

Before Reading

  • Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
  • Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky

After Reading

  • Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky
  • The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

📕 Similar Books

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik BackmanThe Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Appeals to fans of: Leo Tolstoy's works, Victor Hugo's Les Misérables

🏷 Classification Details

Author Fyodor Dostoevsky
Published 1869
Language English
Subjects Historical fiction, Russia -- Social conditions -- 1801-1917 -- Fiction

📚 Curated Collections

This book appears in these curated collections:

🔗 Related Books