The Adolescent by Dostoevsky ~ Final Thoughts 

Very serendipitous that I stumbled across this today, because I do have this in my TBR, because it's the only Dostoyevski major work I haven't yet. I'm going to read the Constance Garnett version because I have a low cost ebook of that. I'm not expecting much. I stay away from the Pevear/Volokhonski translations now, because I had the same experience with them you talk about here---they feel very distant and uninvolving.

I want to try Russian Literature this year but I don't know where to start!

I've read this book the last year and agree whit you in the most points. This novel, for his point of wiev, dont have the deep in his themes or the dynamism of polyphony of his other novels, but i really liked the dinamic of Arcadio and his Fathers. This emocional disconexion so frecuently in the families where nobody feels the other could understand, and keep lonely. Arcadio whit his power fantasis (become a rich man, ein Rotchind or somethig like this) what he justifies whit fussy nuances (he dont want the money for the money, but like a moral test for prove his perseveran or his moral, his own streght. The last thing he said about that was he would like die like a poor men in the street whit thousend Rublos whit he never use) is just a child whit fells lonely und weak, and he thougs one day he can say everithing of this, open his heart whit other person who understand and everiting will be good. He is very absolutist whit his moral and relacionships and its obses whit the perfec and pure and sincerily relacion. And versilov his father is the mature version of him what knows thas is posible but insuficient and become cinic cause himself fells missunderstanding and tired to try connected (i remember a gag when Arcadio is in the table whit his family and versilov literaly read his mind and say "yesyes the boy fells superior of our. Have a great dreams probably want to become in a Rotchlind or something" and this is funny cause he has the emocional inteligens to understand his son probably cause the empaty fron this similar ideas but he use this to humillate him and after that he use this condecendent empaty to manipulate and keep emocional distant front him) and finaly, his legal father who is a spiritual and moral character but keep in the distance like a model of man who never stay whit arcadio. Everybody feels alone and cant talk whit the other, and i liked how all of these is retratabled excuse for the bad englis xD, i use your video to practicate and i really liked your content, good video :D

I haven’t read this one yet so I’ll be back to check out your thoughts once I have!

Interesting, I've only read the Idiot and the Gambler so far and Raw Youth is my favourite, perhaps because of the Constance Garnett translation. If I had to convince someone to read the book, I would say it's like the Idiot but with a more developed plotline and more compelling personalities. You are witnessing a young person who has no idea how little he knows of the real world and wants to take action for the first time in his life in several respects but is always drawn away from his object by people or events. He is stubbornly naive. And if the story feels disconnected or drawn out, it is the fault of the narrator who is recounting a three month period, some months later (if I remember correctly). As a reader, you won't like the story for Arkady but for the surrounding characters and how they interact with him Edit: I actually wrote this before listening to the part where you mentioned the Idiot😂 Maybe I should reread that to further inform my opinion

I’m currently reading this now, on page 500. and i feel the same, it’s my worst dostoyevsky so far. He is my favorite author and i have loved every book by him that i’ve read, but with this one i just felt bored and want it to be over tbh

I read this about a month ago, after just hearing obout it. I was on my way through «The big five by Dostoevsky», had read Notes from the Underground, Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and was struggling a bit with getting into Demons, when I discovered that the russians had a slightly different «big five». The russian version substitutes Notes from the Underground with The Adolescent. Making their canon; Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons, The Adolescent and The Brothers Karamazov. Exactly why the russians find The Adolescent relevant, I do not know, but I agree with your assessment of the novel. I suspect the russians interest in this is more in the novel as a cultural/societal timestamp, a more Dickensian novel, rather than the four others’ timeless psychological/philosophical mastery. So this one becomes the odd one out for most western readers. I think the main problem for me with the novel, is that I suspect Dostoevsky is not writing the protagonist as an aspect of himself, but «others» the protagonist too much. Making him very little extrordinary as you said, and thereby never imbues him with life.

I’m gonna watch this after I read it. I am sure you gave deep and brilliant thoughts! ❤