The Brothers Karamazov [Jimcin Recordings Edition]

By: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Constance Garnett - translator

Narrated by: Walter Covell

Length: 37 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Dostoevsky studied human nature with passion and precision. He plumbed the depths and never winced at what he found, even when it was beyond his understanding. This extraordinary novel is a recital of his findings, told in the story of four brothers: Dimitri, pleasure-seeking, impatient, unruly; Ivan, brilliant and morose; Alyosha, gentle, loving, honest; and the illegitimate Smerdyakov, sly, silent, cruel. What gives this story its dramatic grip is the part these brothers play in their father's murder.

©1987 Jimcin Recordings (P)1987 Jimcin Recordings

Meehhhed the Meh out of me

Disclaimer, I do not typically listen to the classics, this and The Count of Monte Cristo are the only real classics I have listened to.

Given my background I really struggled getting through this entire book. There were times in the book where Dostoevsky would introduce a meaningful thought or axiom about life in general outside of Russia, but these were few and far between. The book lacked continuity and a clear line of progression. I regret picking this book up on a whim.

Great book, poor presentation

Dear Audible, Please give us a new version with a better narrator! I'll be first in line...

I rated this recording over a year ago & in listening again, am sorry I gave the performance 3 stars... should be 2 at most... maybe 1.

I'm a major Dostoevsky fan & I'd put this book in his top 3. Other reviewers have gone into the story details, so I'm going to focus on recording quality. Walter Covell was a poor choice for narrator. There is little if any distinction between the characters' voices & their voices often switched as the story went along. Dialogs are a mash up. I had to follow along with the book to determine who was talking to who(m).

Then there's the technical quality, which continually alternates between bad and worse. It often sounds like a recording from a 1940's radio broadcast.

The sample for the other unabridged recording sounded even less appealing, so I went with this one. Best to read the book & wait for a new recording with a better narrator

Timeless Classic (but not for everyone)

If you want the story, there is a good movie. Russian novels are difficult at best and the only reason I even understand this is because I took a course on Dostoevsky in college. One of the main problems for non-Russians is the variety of names for a single person: there are formal names, semi-formal names, diminutives and short diminutives. The person who reads this book solves that problem because somehow he makes it clear who he is talking about. Overall, the reader is excellent.

This is the third time I've "read" the novel. Each time you notice something different, like with the appreciation of any timeless artwork. This time I noticed Kolya's interaction with the doctor at Ilusha's fbedside. Who cares about Fyodor? This is the real tragedy. Also, I noticed how boring the lawyer's speeches were at the end of the book and I wondered if Dostoevsky had noticed a market for courtroom dramas and was trying to drive up sales . . . ever the cynic.

I Tried Covell, Davidson, and Woolf

Any additional comments?

I tried all three narrators available for the unabridged Brothers K. I hated them all to begin with, but Covell is the one that I was able to settle into. Davidson's condescension, though I tried my best to ignore it, was just too much. Woolf and Clovell are both underwhelming, and it takes more concentration to hang on, but between them, I like Covell. In general, I've found boring narrations to be less offending to the ear across a long listening than obnoxious ones that might be more dramatic. Listening to Covell is sometimes like hearing those computer-automated voice, but it can actually become endearing after a while. In any case, while his voice didn't do anything to enhance the reading, in the end he didn't detract from it. I've read the book before, and I found the sensation of hearing Covell's reading exactly the same, whereas Davidson's narration jarred the spell completely for me.

It's a shame there is not a reading of this novel as great as Guidall's masterful Crime and Punishment, but this performance still amounts to a wonderful experience.

Loved it!

This is an amazing book and I really felt that listening to it helped me get more out of it.

Worth it, even if you're not a fan of "classics"

What made the experience of listening to The Brothers Karamazov the most enjoyable?

A well done reading of a story worth hearing.

Any additional comments?

I'm not a huge fan of classic literature, but this story is still relevant and powerful, particularly if you know any sullen young "intellectual" men with chips on their shoulders, or happen to be one.

This book is one of the reasons I joined Audible!

I loved it! I have read this book a number of times and in different translation but it was great to listen to it while on the road.

pronunciation

I love Brothers K, but within the first few minutes I had an issue with the narrator - 'Ivanovna' is not pronounced 'IvanOVna' but 'IvANovna.'
That's a very basic mistake to make, I find it incredibly irritating.

Wonderful

This is one of those life-changing books that has a profound impact on all who read it. On one level it is the story of a murder in which the murdered man's sons share varying degrees of complicity. However, it also has a deeper level. It portrays the spiritual drama of the characters moral struggles between faith, doubt, reason, and free will. Wonderful story, though not exactly light reading. Walter Covell is one of my favorite readers and he did his usual excellent job. Five stars.

A Perceptive and Engaging Family Narrative

Where does The Brothers Karamazov rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

As far as fiction goes, I would rate this #1.

What did you like best about this story?

I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of drama, psychology, philosophy, religion, law, & Russian History!

Have you listened to any of Walter Covell’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not. But based on the 40 hours of this recording, I would recommend, and will definitely seek out other recordings by Covell!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The chapter entitled "The Grand Inquisitor"... Also some of Father Zossima's speeches...

Any additional comments?

One can tell that this novel was first written serially, and that Dostoyevsky was paid by his output. The story does lag in some places, especially for the modern reader, so accustomed to speed, but all in all the work is a must-read (or must-listen) for the thinker...