Nothing is quite so cheerful as Russian literature!! I finally got to this classic from Dostoevsky. Like any Dostoevsky, if you're going to read it, make sure you have long stretches of time free. There's no reading a bit here and there. You have to dedicate yourself, or you start forgetting who's who.
Although I don't speak Russian, I can say with certainty that this translation by Richard Freeborn is excellent. Colloquialisms are used where appropriate, the French is left untranslated for clarity, even times when the Russian misspellings are used on purpose, he manages to translate it into English and still convey that to the reader.
The novel is told in first person and directed toward the reader. This system helps Dostoevsky explain certain aspects of the exhibition without it seeming unnatural. The whole of the 600 pages takes place over a short period of time, showing us the struggle of a young man, learning about societal norms, family, and deciding how to participate in them for himself.
If you've never read Dostoevsky, I would suggest beginning with a different book, but I can still recommend it as a good read. 3
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