The Idiot [Blackstone]

By: Fyodor Dostoevsky

Narrated by: Robert Whitfield

Length: 22 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Despite the harsh circumstances besetting his own life - abject poverty, incessant gambling, and the death of his firstborn child - Dostoevsky produced a second masterpiece, The Idiot, just two years after completing Crime and Punishment. In it, a saintly man, Prince Myshkin, is thrust into the heart of a society more concerned with wealth, power, and sexual conquest than the ideals of Christianity. Myshkin soon finds himself at the center of a violent love triangle in which a notorious woman and a beautiful young girl become rivals for his affections. Extortion, scandal, and murder follow, testing the wreckage left by human misery to find "man in man."

©2000 Blackstone Audiobooks. Originally published in 1880 in Russia.

Critic reviews

"Nothing is outside Dostoevsky's province....Out of Shakespeare there is no more exciting reading." (Virginia Woolf)

Wonderful reading by Whitfield

Seems to me that the reader knew the book well. He has also done Don Quixote and read the voice of Prince M's best man in the voice he chose for Sancho Panza. I was initially puzzled by the ugly voices he chose for Prince M's two love interests, but they seemed well-chosen by the end.

Excellent for mid-19th century

The book is excellently written. The story is compelling, the characters are exquisite, and the prose is of the highest standard. However, modern readers will likely want for excitement, as the plot proceeds through discussion and the intent behind words rather than deeds.

So far the book's ok, but the narrator--NO!

The story is ok. Takes a while to get going. What is driving me nuts is the narrator. His voices are good. In fact, they're comical at times. However, his Russian is SOOOOOO bad. As a Russian-speaker, it is very distracting that he can't pronounce Fyodr, especially since it's the author's first name. It's clear that he was having a hard time throughout the book. For most, it won't bother you, but if you understand how to pronounce Russian names it is frustrating.

Intense and painfully sad

I avoided this book for a long time: who wants to read a book about a person who's so good everyone around him thinks he's an idiot?

Boy, was I wrong. This is an intense and brooding novel, filled with Dostoevsky's usual array of deeply conflicted characters and blistering monologues. The idiot himself, Prince Myshkin, is no pushover: maybe he's a bit naive at times, but he insists on treating people as equals and assuming their good intentions until contrary evidence is overwhelming. He suffers from epilepsy, and in the course of the novel has a couple of seizures that dramatically alter the direction of the story.

Superficially, the novel is about Myshkin's conflicted relationships with two women: Aglaya, the youngest daughter of a distant relative, with whom he is in love; and Anastassya Filippovna, a "fallen woman" who's been fobbed off by her former lover and who seems to be drifting from one self-destructive relationship to another. Myshkin may have loved her once, but now he mainly pities her. Aglaya, who at one point seems willing to marry Myshkin, ultimately breaks off because of his obsession with Anastassya.

But that's only one small facet of this complex, teeming book. The characters are captivating, the scenes at times almost hypnotic in their intensity. I've only read a few of Dostoevsky's novels, but so far I'm inclined to say this is probably my favorite.

Robert Whitfield (=Simon Vance) gives a stellar reading. Of particular note is his ability to distinguish the voices of the many women in the book: sometimes the shading is subtle, but I always knew instantly who was talking. Well done, highly recommended.

Intense and painfully sad

I avoided this book for a long time: who wants to read a book about a person who's so good everyone around him thinks he's an idiot?

Boy, was I wrong. This is an intense and brooding novel, filled with Dostoevsky's usual array of deeply conflicted characters and blistering monologues. The idiot himself, Prince Myshkin, is no pushover: maybe he's a bit naive at times, but he insists on treating people as equals and assuming their good intentions until contrary evidence is overwhelming. He suffers from epilepsy, and in the course of the novel has a couple of seizures that dramatically alter the direction of the story.

Superficially, the novel is about Myshkin's conflicted relationships with two women: Aglaya, the youngest daughter of a distant relative, with whom he is in love; and Anastassya Filippovna, a "fallen woman" who's been fobbed off by her former lover and who seems to be drifting from one self-destructive relationship to another. Myshkin may have loved her once, but now he mainly pities her. Aglaya, who at one point seems willing to marry Myshkin, ultimately breaks off because of his obsession with Anastassya.

But that's only one small facet of this complex, teeming book. The characters are captivating, the scenes at times almost hypnotic in their intensity. I've only read a few of Dostoevsky's novels, but so far I'm inclined to say this is probably my favorite.

Robert Whitfield (=Simon Vance) gives a stellar reading. Of particular note is his ability to distinguish the voices of the many women in the book: sometimes the shading is subtle, but I always knew instantly who was talking. Well done, highly recommended.

Another decent story from a Russian great

Really food dialogue throughout touching on those key elements Dostoevsky always includes in his works, primarily morals/ethics, religion. Additionally, memorable characters and rich characterization. At times tough to get through but well worth it.

extremely well done!

It can seem daunting to make one's way through a large tome such as this one. However, this version of The Idiot was so well narrated that the many nuances of the story, including the complicated Russian names, were intelligible and easy to follow.

Idiot, I Don't Think So

The narrator was very good, all those different voices he came up with, one does have to listen closely because he does speak quickly. The story was just OK, wouldn't recommend it or listen to it again. Such superficial people, and everything was a big drama, and did people really talk like that! They were the idiot's, not The Idiot.

Excellent book

What made the experience of listening to The Idiot the most enjoyable?

Well, I think Dostoievski is the best writer of all times. This is one of his best books, after Crime & Punishment and The Karamazov Brothers

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Idiot?

The whole book

What does Robert Whitfield bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Excellent narrator. I liked the way he use his voice to intepretate different characters

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

No moment in particular

Went beyond my expectations!

Would you listen to The Idiot again? Why?

Absolutely!
Steller performance and incredible story.

What other book might you compare The Idiot to and why?

Brothers Karamazov, Crime and Punishment

What does Robert Whitfield bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Excellent pronunciations of Russian names etc, different voices for different characters and a very good steady rate of delivery of the content. Sounded like a play almost!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both laugh and cry... took me to a time and place where I have no past experience with yet made me feel home.

Any additional comments?

Can't believe I waited so many years to read this book.