The Brothers Karamazov

By: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Constance Garnett - translator

Narrated by: Frederick Davidson

Length: 34 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

After spending four years in a Siberian penal settlement, during which time he underwent a religious conversion, Dostoevsky developed a keen ability for deep character analysis. In The Brothers Karamazov, he explores human nature at its most loathsome and cruel but never flinches at what he finds.

The Brothers Karamazov tells the stirring tale of four brothers: the pleasure-seeking, impatient Dmitri; the brilliant and morose Ivan; the gentle, loving, and honest Alyosha; and the illegitimate Smerdyakov: shy, silent, and cruel. The four unite in the murder of one of literature's most despicable characters - their father. This was Dostoevsky's final and best work.

Public Domain (P)2000 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[Dostoevsky is] at once the most literary and compulsively readable of novelists we continue to regard as great....The Brothers Karamazov stands as the culmination of his art - his last, longest, richest, and most capacious book." (Washington Post Book World)

Dostoevsky triumph

I wish I had read this sooner; tremendous writer and a great performance by the narrator. Dostoevsky’s ability to capture incredible moments with clarity and depth are truly remarkable. It’s a classic for all the right reasons.

Worthy performance.

The idea of rating “The Brothers Karamazov” (the novel, the story) with stars is silly (“On a scale of one to ten, rate Beethoven’s Ninth.”) But the voice artist’s performance itself definitely deserves 5 stars. He does a spectacular job.

Sometimes hard to get through but worth it

I understand the hype after finishing. I have never read a book like it and it is definitely a must read.

A Fluid Reading Of A Genuine Classic

The narration of this classic book is both fluid [which is no small feat with all those Russian names!] and entertaining. A wonderful study and description of human nature as well as the idea that without God there is no moral foundation [or restraint] attending human actions. Highly recommended.

Like others - I had problems with the narration...

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Great story. It's portable - so the audiobook format works - I'd choose a different narrator however.

How could the performance have been better?

I found the narrator somewhat haughty and self absorbed, with little 'character' or expressiveness to his efforts. The voicing of different characters was undifferentiated and therefore kind of hard to distinguish between. The problem was NOT the english accent but more his manner.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

If this were a book I would prefer to read it.

Very heavy on te heart

Very heavy on the heart. This is one of those books that you may have to read twice very similar in depth and scope to books like the grapes of wrath.

Brothers Karamazov - Audible Book

Book: I will comment on the book. it is a classic.

Reader: The performance was very good. I read some of the reviews and I do not agree with the comments that the reader was haughty and annoying. I thought he captured the characters well. Some of the characters were typical of the period: emotional, flighty, etc.

Production: I appreciate that there was announcement of the beginning and end of the parts.

Great story, read greatly.

One of my new all-time favorites. What a great work! Hurrah for Karamazov! Hurrah for Karamazov!

Greatest of the greatest

Frederick Davidson reading the Constance garnet translation has been a life changing experience.
I have been reading all the great classics and am thru Tolstoy, Dicksens and other Dostoevsky- and this is the best!!!

A Man's Novel, but Good

Excellent character development. Great ending. Some disturbing but true content. Am better for listening to it.