Is Crime and Punishment a difficult book to read?

Question

What reading level is it at.

What are some other books close to this levels?

A Tale of Two Cities

The Grapes of Wrath

Are either of those close in dificulty to this book?

lol, I was just curious.

I just heard about it (and actualy looked into it) and it sounded good

Answer 1

Most of the Dostoevsky books are difficult to read. They are really intense and filled with complicated characters with even more complicated personalities. Lots of plot lines within plot lines. Very psychological as one tries to figure out the personalities of the characters. One trouble is the nature of the Russian language in using names. Not enough vowels, difficult to read and remember as you go through the book. The names also change with gender which gets confusing if you are not good at remembering the names. Russians also have a habit of using the entire name of a person. Then just don't say Ivan, they would say Ivan Santanovitch Bolansky (example). I am of Russian heritage and go crazy just reading my own family history and keeping my relatives straight. Any of Dostoevsky's books are at a high level, but worth plowing through them.

A Tale of Two Cities is much easier to read. Dickens has to be the greatest writer in English literature. His depictions of London of his time are right on. The characters have such colorful names.

The Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorite Steinbeck books. His portrayal of the Jodes and their adventures and mis-adventure as they travel to California are superbly written. Gives the reader a personal feeling of what it was like to be an Oakie during the Great Depression. I suggest reading this one.

Answer 2

Both are typical for a 10th grade high school class, honors or college prep. Its to be expected that everyone is at that reading level should be high enough to comprehend and reflect on those books, which isn't that hard to do.

Some others you might come a cross are All Quiet on the Western Front, Things Fall Apart, Othello, The Three Thiban Plays (Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus and Colonus), Macbeth, Hamlet, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Woman Warrior, Babbit.

All those books are somewhat difficult, but by the time most people actually read those books should be old enough to handle it. Now in my case I was reading those in elementary school, but I was home schooled at the time so it was different for me, probably won't be the same to you.

Answer 3

Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Study Guides.

These links will give you a summary of the book, character analysis, plot and much more, so that you will be able to answer literary questions.

Summary

On a hot and sultry day in July, Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov, a young student, slips past his landlady to whom he is heavily in debt, and roams aimlessly towards an old and despicable pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna.

http://education.yahoo.com/homework_help/cliffsnotes/crime_and_punishment/9.html

http://www.bookrags.com/notes/cri/

http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/crimeandpunishment/

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/crime/

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/id-67.html

http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmCrime02.asp

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Download this ebook for free

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2554

Answer 4

It is one of the greatest novels coming out of the 19th century and explains the social conflicts occurring in Russia during a period of corruption and unrest. Look the book may seem boring but it is important and if you're able to make connections to life today it will make it seem a lot less esoteric. Enjoy and finish it, you will thank yourself later in life

Answer 5

I haven't read C&P but I have read another of Dostoevsky's books "House of the Dead". I enjoyed it immensely and did not find it difficult to read at all, which can often be the case with translated texts. I would certainly like to read more of his works.

Answer 6

No not really, ive read all those books and fell asleep after 30 min into each one. Okay, okay, im joking. I've might of fallen asleep a little earlier. Ohh f.y.i I havent finished any of the books.

Answer 7

Difficult, but worth the effort.

"Karamazov" is the most powerful novel of all, IMHO.
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Answer 8

If you have to ask at what level it is probably to hard. Mostly it is long and...long. Unlike the other two but in difficulty about the same.

Answer 9

depends in your preference its long and not that thrilling but personally i loved it, it was an amasing book. very psychological