I loved the Devil(s) out of the Possessed

'Devils' is a great listen if you're willing to put in the time and effort. I compared Professor Katz's translation to others, such as the acclaimed translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky, and feel that Professor Katz's is the best going. Many of his supposedly awkward sentences, when carefully translated, reveal great wit and style.

In my opinion, that's only because early translators failed to pick up his nuances. I've read that some critics think Doestoevsky wasn't a great stylist as was Tolstoy and others. Professor Katz reinserts Dostoevsky's intentionally quirky sentence structure which was sadly washed out by earlier translators. Last, I can't say enough good things about this 1992 translation by Russian Studies Professor Michael R. He has a Slavic background and takes great pride in reading the Russian greats. I've listened to many of his readings, such as his outstanding performances in 'Crime and Punishment' and 'Don Quixote.' George is perfect for 'Demons.' His sharp characterizations, timing, and overall feel are perfect. The narrator is the very accomplished George Guidall. If you're into this thing, 'Devils' is a gripping novel. Like all of Dostoevsky's works, the plot is deeply psychological, though there is quite a bit of dry humor and irony (items that are often missed in Dostoevsky's works because the original translator, Constance Garnett, tended to homogenize his phrases). Trouble had been brewing in Russia for some time. Lenin and company didn't come out of nowhere. The setting is the run-up to the Bolshevik Revolution. The plot centers on some brutal, political murders. If you do these things you'll experience the full effect. Last, you might want to print a list of characters because, like all Russian novels, the many patronymic names can be confusing, especially if you're listening. It also helps to know a little about Dostoevsky's background because several elements are autobiographical.

The Wikipedia article on 'Demons' is short and informative. One of the two lead characters, Peter Stephanovich Verkhovensky, a creepy Charles Manson type, is based on Nechayev. In order to appreciate it, you should do a little research on the 1869 murder by the Russian revolutionary Nechayev. 'Devils' is a very political novel and was intended to be so. 'Devils' (formerly translated as 'The Possessed,' and sometimes translated as 'Demons') is one of Dostoevsky's four great long novels, the others being 'Crime and Punishment,' 'The Idiot,' and 'The Brothers Karamazov.' First, don't by the version narrated by Patrick Cullen and titled 'The Possessed.' The narration is poor and the translation is the outdated one by Constance Garnett.

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