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The Master and Margarita

By: Mikhail Bulgakov
Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt
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Publisher's summary

The Devil comes to Moscow, but he isn't all bad; Pontius Pilate sentences a charismatic leader to his death, but yearns for redemption; and a writer tries to destroy his greatest tale, but discovers that manuscripts don't burn. Multi-layered and entrancing, blending sharp satire with glorious fantasy, The Master and Margarita is ceaselessly inventive and profoundly moving. In its imaginative freedom and raising of eternal human concerns, it is one of the world's great novels.

Public Domain (P)2009 Naxos Audiobooks

Featured Article: Essential Russian Authors to Know in Audio


Don’t be daunted by the towering reputations of Russia’s literary giants. Listening is the perfect way to appreciate the masters. Russia is a sprawling country with a rich and complex history, which is reflected in its literature. Whether you’re keen on brushing up on classic Russian literature or you want to find a new author to explore, we’ve rounded up 13 of the best Russian authors, classic and contemporary, whose work you should know.

Editor's Pick

From Russia with love
I recently deep-dived on Russian classics for our editors’ podcast, Audicted, focusing on Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. But guess what? Those heavy-hitters aren’t nearly as beloved back home as Bulgakov, and this book is widely considered the country’s favorite novel. I didn’t know anything could make me love Russian literature more, but that did it. This hallucinatory satire of 1930s Stalinist Moscow, in which the devil and his entourage come to town to raise hell, includes a gun-toting cat, a fascinating imagining of Pontius Pilate, and exquisite narration by Julian Rhind-Tutt. If you’re looking for what one reviewer calls 'a complete acid trip of a novel', your search ends here. —Kat J., Audible Editor

What listeners say about The Master and Margarita

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Terrible Performance

What did you like best about The Master and Margarita? What did you like least?

I honestly didn't get far enough into it to find something to like (the part about the cat trying to pay to get on the tram was funny). The actor who does the narration has the most grating schreeching voice and every character is differentiated by a slightly different pitch of screech.

Would you recommend The Master and Margarita to your friends? Why or why not?

The book - possibly, when I finish it in dead tree format.

What didn’t you like about Julian Rhind-Tutt’s performance?

It is really all screech and squawk. Volume and pitch are not synonymous with acting.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

If you're not accustomed to Bulgakov...

Then this can be a difficult listening experience. As a student of Russian lit, I am familiar with the use of phantasmic events, the long names with many variants, and the story telling style which can feel disjointed and confusing to the typical Western reader/listener. If you are a fan of Bulgakov, or you've already read the book and are familiar with the story, this can be fun to listen to. The performance is entertaining. But if you're not already familiar with this style of Russian lit, I wouldn't start here...

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant!

What did you love best about The Master and Margarita?

It's combination of deep psychological insight and its profound,
side splitting humor.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Master and Margarita?

One of the final scenes in which the meaning of forgiveness is portrayed in the experience of Pontius Pilate.

What about Julian Rhind-Tutt’s performance did you like?

His delivery and insight into Bulgakov's humor is delightful.

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

Yes. Both.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Confused

I don’t know if it is this specific translation or it is just the story, but it’s very confusing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A Delightful Romp

A truly original fantasy. It is a lot like Alice in Wonderland for adults. I loved it! Julian, the reader was wonderful.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Is cowardice the biggest sin?

One of the best novels of the 20th century..well written. It touches so many aspects of humanity and what means to be human..

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Entertaining but confusing

this was a very good story over all, but I found it quite hard to follow.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Narrator was great!

This is a classic but difficult story to follow. It’s full of lengthy Russian names and locations where in some cases first and surnames are switched for another character. The narrator did a wonderful job with a myriad of character voices.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Surrealism at its pinnacle

This book is a ride on a surrealistic rollercoaster. The plot is complex but extremely captivating. The characters... oh! Don't get me started on the characters! Just listen... #Magical #Moscow #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Humanity is ubiquitous.

The narrator captured for me the feelings of the persons caught up in this fantastical tale. Even in extraordinary circumstances, the characters cannot escape those traits that make us all human. I haven't had so much fun with a book in such a long time.

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