It was a joy to chat with you and AP about Peril's Gate, Johanna! I think it's important for us to articulate what doesn't work as well for us when we are reading, even if it's from a book or series we are otherwise enjoying. You did a fantastic job with it!
I strive to articulate what doesn't work for me, and that applies to many situations in life. I obviously had to be vague in this video because of spoilers, but I appreciate that you and A.P. were so validating in our discussion! Thank you, Philip!
Nice wrap-up, Johanna! Hearing you talk about Crime and Punishment REALLY makes me want to reread it. I felt the first time I really enjoyed it but didn't get everything out of it, and a reread will make it better since I won't be reading just to see what happens next. Such complexity, especially with the main character - it felt like it was written last month, not so long ago.
Thank you, Josh! I agree that it is very ahead of its time in many ways. The only thing I question is whether the end of the epilogue would work as well if written today. Great classic and great reread value overall!
O love Klara and the Sun. Klara's absolute innocence and innate goodness are beautiful. And that is a good thing because the world that she inhabits is quite unpleasant.
@@Johanna_reads and genetic engineering. Have you read Never Let Me Go yet? No spoilers, but I get the impression that they are set in the same world, although some years apart.
C&P is one of my all time favourites too! I have also read Klara and really liked it. You’re right that there’s so much to think about in it. One topic that struck me is what people will do to advance their children’s chances in life - at the moment parents get private tutoring arranged and get them in the best schools but in Klara they can have some kind of procedure. Those that don’t have it become outcasts while those that do have it have a considerable risk of side effects - what a choice!
I love your discussion point about the risks parents take to advance their children's success! So interesting to notice the contrast between Rick and Josie's mothers and Josie's father. My mind went to privilege when reading the book, but the emotional toll on the parents is striking!
I read _Klara and the Sun_ when it was first released and really enjoyed. It is definitely the kind of book that benefits from being a buddy read, or having someone to talk to about it as you go! I had read C&P in high school and it didn't do a lot for me, but then in undergrad I had the chance to come across it again in a different way. One of the acting and directing professors at my university staged a performance of it, and I served as the Stage Manager, so I became intimately familiar with the text, reading and re-reading it over again and again for 6 months. The whole production was done in an amazing stripped down way. The set was in the round, audience on all four sides, with the set piece being a single white room whose walls were in various states of crumbling. There were only 6 actors in the play, and 3 of them played Raskolnikov, and all three were on stage together for the entirety of the show, serving as different aspects of his psyche, often arguing with each other. (The other three characters were the police detective, the murder victim, and the love interest). It was a really mind-opening way to experience the text... I think I read the actual book two or three times, and then our director wrote the screenplay, doing his own translation from the Russian as he did, and then I must have read that script a hundred times. It was a remarkable exercise at finding the heart of the text and bringing it to life in a way that I would never have expected, especially considering how massive the text is and how many characters it has. It isn't exactly an experience that you can replicate with all the (dense, sometimes difficult) classics, but I feel fortunate for having gone through it.
I agree about Klara and the Sun! I think I would've enjoyed it tremendously if I had read it alone, but the buddy read conversations made the reading experience all the more reflective and beautiful. Wow, that's amazing about the staged performance of C&P! That sounds like a clever production with 3 Raskolnikovs on stage. I can only imagine how impactful that must have been!
Between you and Jimmy's opinions on Klara and the Sun, I absolutely have to pick it up. Thanks for the review and for mentioning it again in this video!
Thank you so much, Theo!! If you're interested in Wurts, I recommend her standalone, To Ride Hell's Chasm. That'll give you a good taste test to see if you like her rich writing style (though Wars of Light and Shadow is denser).
Wow what an intense month of deep reads! I can’t wait to try Dostoevsky when I’m in the mood for something intensely psychological and grounded in our reality. Also pumped for Klaara and the Sun but in print since I did not gel with the narration when I tried it. Happy reading!
Thank you, Ben! I had access to the audiobook of Klara and the Sun, and while the narrator is decent, I don’t recommend that format. I ended up visually reading it and relistening to sections. One section moved me to tears, but all that emotion felt lost when I listed to the same section via audio. I hope you enjoy the book!
“Wait, was that… did I…” I just had to rewind to check there was a bit of headbutting the book inserted in there! 😆 The ‘morally grey character’ of “Crime and Punishment” is a great pick for some tough Readathon prompts. Trying to find a suitable book for that kind of prompt is generally quite hard, so I’ll try to file this one away in my mind.
It was supposed to be me being hard on myself, but I don't know if that came across right. 😂😅 I agree about that "morally grey" challenge. The only character I could think of that made me feel that conflicted was Jamie Lannister. I hope you enjoy C & P!
Always deeply appreciate your honest and well-articulated thoughts on stories, whether they are hits are misses for you. I simply can't wait to get to Klara and the Sun, the audiobook should come available soon! And I keep hearign such good things about Keegan, I am going to have to check her out!
Hi Esmay, I had access to the audiobook of Klara and the Sun, but early on I found that I much preferred visually reading it. The narrator is good, but there was a passage I read that brought tears to my eyes. When I later listened to the same passage, the narration didn’t elicit that affect. If it’s the only way you can access it, then by all means, go for it! I just wanted to share that personal take. 🙂❤️
@@Johanna_reads Really appreciate that! I find that audiobooks often help me get more immersed because I can't visualise while reading, but I do agree that the emotional impact is often bigger when reading with my eyeballs. I'll get the ebook as well and do an immersion read then! Appreciate you 🥰
@@esmayrosalyne the story isn’t hard to follow, and it’s not very descriptive. The reason I recommend visual reading only (if possible) is because I found the character voices lost emotional subtlety via audio. That might just be me! 😅 Either way, I hope you enjoy it! ❤️
@@Johanna_reads These are super helfpul insights, thank you so much. I really don't accidentally want to hinder this reading experience for myself, so I will definitely follow your advice!
@@Johanna_reads don’t think that the kids today so happy with classical literature or music studies. They have exactly zero interest in it. “In our time”… yet my own mother who teaches in high school and principal for 40 years, says that the kids are losing interest. They are addicted to smart phones. Now the newest law bans smart phones in schools so they have to check it in at the door. There was a full TikTok outburst about it. But here and in Germany no smart phone, period.
Good picks! I’ve read C&P a few times, always in winter (winter just fits with Russian lit). Klara and the Sun has such a beautiful cover, I keep meaning to pick it up. Keegan seems to be popping up everywhere, sounds like it’s well-deserved. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Thank you! I can totally imagine C&P in the winter, but I was also surprised the weather was not very cold in the book. Keegan and Ishiguro are excellent if you enjoy subtle themes and a light, purposeful writing style.
I agree with you on Crime and Punishment. I enjoyed the plot and character work, but the philosophical writing style was very dense and made it a more challenging read for me. I will also get more out of it on a re read, and I think this is the type of book you almost HAVE to read more than once. I think I felt impatient with it because I was so curious how the plot would go, maybe I rushed the philosophy.
I can understand that! It's very slow-burn. I think a reread would further reveal how every part is purposefully put in place. I might've had an advantage since my mom had read it before. As for the philosophy connections, I found myself flipping back to every footnote 😅.
Nietzsche was actually a big fan of Dostoevsky. In Twilight of the Idols he famously states that Dostoevsky was “the only psychologist from whom I had something to learn.” Yeah, the epilogue is widely contentious. Every time I read C&P I find I change my mind whether or not I think it’s good😅
I read that as well about Nietzche being a fan of Dostoevsky! Very interesting! Thank you so much for sharing that and for not making me feel alone about the end! 😅
What a special way to read Crime & Punishment! I soft DNFed C&P earlier this year due to toking but I definitely want to return to it. Cant wait to try Klara and the Sun!
Johanna, Klara and the Sun sounds truly fascinating. If you enjoyed this Ishiguro novel, you should read Feed, by M.T. Anderson, and watch Her, which is a film by Spike Jonze. Btw, I really think you're going to love Never Let Me Go. Also, I'm so happy you enjoyed Crime and Punishment. It's one of my favorite novels. I taught it for a couple of years. Truly a philosophical masterpiece. If you found the philosophical ideas fascinating, I would recommend that you read Nietzsche next. Either Beyond Good and Evil, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or The Genealogy of Morals. And you're right that there's no evidence that Dostoevsky had read Nietzsche before writing this, even though Nietzsche wrote during this same time period. That said, there were many people in Europe and Russia at the time who were advocating what they call "Great Man" theories of history and morality. Lovely video! :)
Jordan, thank you! C&P would be such a great teaching novel, and I’m sure it speaks to the Zeitgeist at that period. I certainly need to read Nietzsche. Thank you so much for the recommendations! 💙
I got a little bored with Crime and Punishment around page 150 and never picked it up again, I mean it was good and interesting but whatever else was on my nightstand at the time won out it seems. I feel like that's what happens with Dostoevsky for me, one day I'll complete one of his books. Hope you are enjoying the late summer sun's nourishment.
Nietzsche was deeply influenced by Dostoevsky, going so for as to call him one of the greats (maybe even the greatest psychologists-though I’d argue Søren Kierkegaard is just as good with his wonderful exposition on existential anxiety). Anyway…the connection is there. I hope you delve into more of Dostoevsky’s work. I’d love your thoughts on The Brothers Karamazov. I loved this novel even more than Crime and Punishment. Speaking of the Russians, I can’t help but shill for Anna Karenina. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend the book. You’ve prob noticed I’m a big fan of Russian literature lol. Also, well done on the translation pick.
Thank you! I read that Nietzsche admired Dostoevsky, and I’d love to learn more about that. I might be starting one of those works later this year. So glad I got a great translation for this one!
@@sebastianvicewriter I just recently heard about The Master and Margarita-I want to say it was on The Active Mind’s channel. He focuses on a lot of Russian lit. Thanks for the recommendation!
I really need to read Janny. I appreciate your well articulated thoughts on each book. I’ve read Crime and Punishment and it was too psychological for me, I don’t like being in other people’s heads that much. Also why Virginia Wolf typically doesn’t work for me either.
How I loved Crime and Punishment! No. 4 on my all-time list. You are so blessed that you were able to buddy-read it with your mother. Your picture is of the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation. Is that the one you read? I understand there is a newer translation by Michael Katz (2019?) and you may have inspired me to pick it up. Thank you.
Asking for a friend-do you suggest doing one massive series at a time?? Aka-this friend of mine is midway through Malazan and has a brain that can only register so much epicness but wants to read wars of light and shadow. Anyways-thank you! Dostoyevsky is one of those authors I’ve been putting off because of how polarizing I assume the writing style is. I definitely need to get over that self limiting hurdle and just dive in
While the two series are vastly different from one another, I don't recommend reading Malazan and Wars of Light and Shadow at the same time. It's good to take epic fantasy brain breaks! 😄 I think Dostoevsky's C&P is worth reading, but some readers may need a suspension of disbelief at the end! 😅
@@Johanna_reads I follow! And yes I plan on picking up ride to hells chasm within the next 6 months to get my janny wurts intro done and perhaps her collaborated empire trilogy since I also don’t have any feist under my belt. Glad to hear the advice for C+P. I know I’m gonna need it! (I also appreciate how wide you read and how you take the journey)
I wanted to add Small Things Like These to my reading plans. I haven't read Keegan, but I hear her name mentioned often. Do you recommend the book? You said the audiobook was great, but did the story also have an impact? Thx
Hi Bart! I linked my review of Small Things Like These if you want to hear my thoughts. I personally think you might enjoy Keegan! From what I've experienced so far, I would say Keegan's stories may not seem dramatic on the surface, but there is much depth for the reflective reader. Excellent if you love stories imbued with subtlety!
@@Johanna_reads Thank you. I’ll watch it later. Yes, I’m learning that I do enjoy subtlety in prose. If fact, I’m reading Ishiguro’s Remains of the Day right now and I am finding just that aspect of the read most enjoyable. While it’s a completely different book than Klara or Never let me Go, that’s same -toned down- style prevails.
I’m reading Crime and Punishment right now! 160 pages in. Bit tricky to keep the Russian names straight at first but it’s otherwise quite readable. Which translation did you read?
That's so true about all the Russian names. The translation I read was by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (same edition I showed on the screen). Many have told me this is one of the best translations available.
I started listening to Klara and the Sun last week I liked the book but the narrator was irking me a lot so I will see if Libby has an e book ASAP. What I read was very good! So oddly eerie and unsettling to me. I put Crime and punishment down for November. It’s always available through my library on Libby along with Brothers Karmozov. I try to read two classics a month and this is one I think will be a good one. Have you read much of Nietzsche? I’ve only read The Joyous Science because it had God is Dead in it. Fascinating man to read about Aberrant month for me what with this move abroad but August was still relatively positive. I relistened to the audiobook of Dune, which is stilll a great book and probably one of my favorite reads of all time. Not much to report on that one except Scott Brick is a severely underrated voice actor and narrator. He plays Duke Leto the Just in the audiobook as well as God Emperor Leto the Second in the God Emperor epitaghs. Such an interesting voice! Also finished reading, finally, the Art and Soul of Dune part 1 which talks about the making of the 2021 film. This supplies further, undeniable evidence that practical effects are the way to go. :D Some short fiction I read was Kawabata's Master of Go and the fifth installment of Legend of the Galactic Heroes series, both of which I had a great time with. LOGH is my go to cheesy sci fi series when I need a break from other things. I do think it is funny though how much Tanaka, the author, loves to talk about exactly how good looking one of his main characters is. I mean, he described his laugh in one book as sounding like gemstones clattering together or something. Maybe it's the translation. Still amuses me to no end so I can't really complain about it. Kawabata continues to impress me with his books about post war Japan. Master of Go is literally about one game of Go that takes place over a six month period between an elderly Master and a rising Go genius. Fans of the Queen's Gambit may be interested. I am planning on reading Snow Country in November, which heavily contributed to his Nobel Prize. A five star book for me this month was actually an art book. The Art of the Ghost of Tushima. Absolutely stunning content here. The love these developers had for their game is palpable. This is in the running for my top ten of the year. I was inspired to find some reading material on the history of Japan during this tumultuous period because of this game so I read The Mongol Invasion of Japan by Stephen Turnbull this month. This is apart of a large series of books called Osprey Campaigns which are usually between ninety and 100 pages long and include large illustrations. Each book focuses on a historical battle and are great for people who are interested in learning more about military history but don't have a good background in the subject. I read their book on Sekigahara last month and it was quite informative. Had a few mild dissapointments this month. Beasts of a little land by Juhea Kim was a read I have been looking forward to for a bit. It takes place in Korea between the World Wars when Korea was under Japanese occupation. I thought this was going to focus more on history but it ended up being more of a romance so unless you were really interested in these characters there wasn't a ton to see. Ah well. For a premier book it wasn't bad it just wasn't exactly what I was looking for. Bigger disappointment was, sadly, Tigana by GGK. This book.....it just wasn't my thing. I think the book may have appealed more, if it been written as a dark comedy about two dictators trying to sabatoge each other and the local people being passively uncooperative. There was a section of the book that was written like this that had me actually cracking up when I was driving. The way this book is, Kay never really develops the unique culture or history of Tigana, except for the importance of the name, and I never quite came to care about it. I think it is clear this is an early book of his when he was still trying to write truly high fantasy. Kay is still one of my favorite authors though and I have three books of his planned for the rest of the year while I am abroad. Happy reading guys
I had the audiobook of Klara and the Sun available via Libby, and while I didn't mind the narrator, I found the visual reading experience far more impactful. There was a passage that I visually read that brought me to tears. I then listened to that section, and it didn't have nearly the same impact one me. I learned about Nietzsche in college, but I regret that I haven't read anything by him yet. I really need to get to Also Sprach Zarathustra. Interesting to hear your critiques of Tigana! I did a review and hosted a discussion on the book earlier this year. One discussion point was how Kay is not the most elaborate world-builder, but I personally enjoy the cultural touches of song, wine, and annual festivities in his books. Dune is one of my faves!!!
Thank you for your question! This might need a whole separate video, but I'll try to be concise here: Scope: both have large histories, but Malazan is much more sprawling and larger in setting, character list, and story timeline. WoLaS is multi-POV, but mainly follows the story of two half-brothers. It's much more linear and focused. Prose: Wurts has a much more consistent and elaborate style than Erikson. I find Erikson easier to read, and it has a more varied range in how he writes character voice, epigraphs, and action vs. non-action. Wurts's prose is arguably more visually immersive. Plot: Malazan has an overarching narrative with several storylines. I think A.P. aptly called it "mosaic," which couldn't be a more perfect description. WoLaS has excellent plotting that interconnects worlds and primary characters. The story is more linear with some repetition, but everything installment circles back to earlier installments.
My mom and I sat down at the Barnes and Noble cafe and compared a few different translations. There was only one copy of the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation, which is the one I read and have on the screen. My mom had the Penguin translation, which is good, but we agreed that the Pevear and Volokhonsky is better. Since then, I've heard numerous people recommend Pevear and Volokhonsky!
Modern psychology is typically two-faced tbh. You have your theorists and you have your clincians - both to me are rather strange and unrelatable. They don't really understand people as much as they like to say they do. And they don't seem to really know themselves either. And in regards to this Dostoyevskian and Nietzechean morality most people and not just psychologists fail the test with flying colors (I know how people like their colors). So, yeah, if you buy into these modern psychologists that are more or less self help gurus with an academic flair, then the ending would seem a bit basic and even concerning. But I suppose that is ultimately the lack of hope and the ingrained societal nihilsm that people wouldn't dare mistake themselves for.
@@Johanna_reads Good point, lol. I'm sure there's some good ones. But I still find most fairweather clinicians. Dostoevsky seems more transparent to me tbh, lol. Have a good day!
It was a joy to chat with you and AP about Peril's Gate, Johanna! I think it's important for us to articulate what doesn't work as well for us when we are reading, even if it's from a book or series we are otherwise enjoying. You did a fantastic job with it!
I strive to articulate what doesn't work for me, and that applies to many situations in life. I obviously had to be vague in this video because of spoilers, but I appreciate that you and A.P. were so validating in our discussion! Thank you, Philip!
Nice wrap-up, Johanna! Hearing you talk about Crime and Punishment REALLY makes me want to reread it. I felt the first time I really enjoyed it but didn't get everything out of it, and a reread will make it better since I won't be reading just to see what happens next. Such complexity, especially with the main character - it felt like it was written last month, not so long ago.
Thank you, Josh! I agree that it is very ahead of its time in many ways. The only thing I question is whether the end of the epilogue would work as well if written today. Great classic and great reread value overall!
O love Klara and the Sun. Klara's absolute innocence and innate goodness are beautiful. And that is a good thing because the world that she inhabits is quite unpleasant.
It's such a great juxtaposition between an endearing character and a world showcasing pollution, privilege, and human conflict.
@@Johanna_reads and genetic engineering. Have you read Never Let Me Go yet? No spoilers, but I get the impression that they are set in the same world, although some years apart.
@@keithhealing1115 not yet, but I will next month!
C&P is one of my all time favourites too! I have also read Klara and really liked it. You’re right that there’s so much to think about in it. One topic that struck me is what people will do to advance their children’s chances in life - at the moment parents get private tutoring arranged and get them in the best schools but in Klara they can have some kind of procedure. Those that don’t have it become outcasts while those that do have it have a considerable risk of side effects - what a choice!
I love your discussion point about the risks parents take to advance their children's success! So interesting to notice the contrast between Rick and Josie's mothers and Josie's father. My mind went to privilege when reading the book, but the emotional toll on the parents is striking!
Everytime I watch your videos, I keep adding more books in my TBR.
Aw, thank you so much! 😊
1:35 HAHAHA this I love this. Almost spat out my coffee. (I feel like that too so often 💕)
Hehehehe! I couldn’t resist! 😂 Remember that you are wonderful!!! 💗
I read _Klara and the Sun_ when it was first released and really enjoyed. It is definitely the kind of book that benefits from being a buddy read, or having someone to talk to about it as you go!
I had read C&P in high school and it didn't do a lot for me, but then in undergrad I had the chance to come across it again in a different way. One of the acting and directing professors at my university staged a performance of it, and I served as the Stage Manager, so I became intimately familiar with the text, reading and re-reading it over again and again for 6 months. The whole production was done in an amazing stripped down way. The set was in the round, audience on all four sides, with the set piece being a single white room whose walls were in various states of crumbling. There were only 6 actors in the play, and 3 of them played Raskolnikov, and all three were on stage together for the entirety of the show, serving as different aspects of his psyche, often arguing with each other. (The other three characters were the police detective, the murder victim, and the love interest). It was a really mind-opening way to experience the text... I think I read the actual book two or three times, and then our director wrote the screenplay, doing his own translation from the Russian as he did, and then I must have read that script a hundred times. It was a remarkable exercise at finding the heart of the text and bringing it to life in a way that I would never have expected, especially considering how massive the text is and how many characters it has. It isn't exactly an experience that you can replicate with all the (dense, sometimes difficult) classics, but I feel fortunate for having gone through it.
I agree about Klara and the Sun! I think I would've enjoyed it tremendously if I had read it alone, but the buddy read conversations made the reading experience all the more reflective and beautiful.
Wow, that's amazing about the staged performance of C&P! That sounds like a clever production with 3 Raskolnikovs on stage. I can only imagine how impactful that must have been!
Glad you liked Foster! You kind of made me want to try Crime and Punishment
I loved it! C&P is a slow-burn story with an incredible build-up and much to dig into. I hope you enjoy it!
Between you and Jimmy's opinions on Klara and the Sun, I absolutely have to pick it up. Thanks for the review and for mentioning it again in this video!
I hope you love it as much as we did! Merphy loved it too! :)
@@Johanna_reads Did she also do a review? If so, I'll go check it out!
I NEED to read Janny!! Great update, Johanna! Thanks again for having me on the channel again and for introducing me to Mr. Bell!
Thank you so much, Theo!! If you're interested in Wurts, I recommend her standalone, To Ride Hell's Chasm. That'll give you a good taste test to see if you like her rich writing style (though Wars of Light and Shadow is denser).
@@Johanna_reads I have Hell’s Chasm, I’ll definitely try it sooner than later. Thanks for that!
Great video as always! Had such a great talking with you and Wera!
Thank you! That was so much fun!
Oh I felt for the young girl in Foster so much. It's such a light touch but it hit me like a sledgehammer.
I absolutely agree with this! Keegan is a master of hitting readers with a light touch. That's a great way to put it!
Wow what an intense month of deep reads! I can’t wait to try Dostoevsky when I’m in the mood for something intensely psychological and grounded in our reality. Also pumped for Klaara and the Sun but in print since I did not gel with the narration when I tried it.
Happy reading!
Thank you, Ben! I had access to the audiobook of Klara and the Sun, and while the narrator is decent, I don’t recommend that format. I ended up visually reading it and relistening to sections. One section moved me to tears, but all that emotion felt lost when I listed to the same section via audio. I hope you enjoy the book!
“Wait, was that… did I…” I just had to rewind to check there was a bit of headbutting the book inserted in there! 😆
The ‘morally grey character’ of “Crime and Punishment” is a great pick for some tough Readathon prompts. Trying to find a suitable book for that kind of prompt is generally quite hard, so I’ll try to file this one away in my mind.
It was supposed to be me being hard on myself, but I don't know if that came across right. 😂😅
I agree about that "morally grey" challenge. The only character I could think of that made me feel that conflicted was Jamie Lannister. I hope you enjoy C & P!
I love your videos so much!! I never miss a video 🔥🔥
Mutual admiration society! ❤️
I’m so excited to eventually start Wars of Light & Shadow! Great video Johanna!
Thanks, Chas! I didn't know you were starting! Glad I didn't dissuade you in this video. Have you read any books by Janny Wurts?
@@Johanna_reads I haven’t started yet, no, but I’m thinking of starting next year. 😊
Always deeply appreciate your honest and well-articulated thoughts on stories, whether they are hits are misses for you. I simply can't wait to get to Klara and the Sun, the audiobook should come available soon! And I keep hearign such good things about Keegan, I am going to have to check her out!
Hi Esmay, I had access to the audiobook of Klara and the Sun, but early on I found that I much preferred visually reading it. The narrator is good, but there was a passage I read that brought tears to my eyes. When I later listened to the same passage, the narration didn’t elicit that affect. If it’s the only way you can access it, then by all means, go for it! I just wanted to share that personal take. 🙂❤️
@@Johanna_reads Really appreciate that! I find that audiobooks often help me get more immersed because I can't visualise while reading, but I do agree that the emotional impact is often bigger when reading with my eyeballs. I'll get the ebook as well and do an immersion read then! Appreciate you 🥰
@@esmayrosalyne the story isn’t hard to follow, and it’s not very descriptive. The reason I recommend visual reading only (if possible) is because I found the character voices lost emotional subtlety via audio. That might just be me! 😅 Either way, I hope you enjoy it! ❤️
@@Johanna_reads These are super helfpul insights, thank you so much. I really don't accidentally want to hinder this reading experience for myself, so I will definitely follow your advice!
Great wrap up! I just picked up Klara and the Sun from the library based on yours and Jimmy's reviews of it
Thank you, Andrew! It's different than what Jimmy and I typically recommend on our channels, and I hope you like it!
Even though you didn't enjoy book 6 as much, what you're saying here yet again makes me super excited to read WoLaS next year!
Thank you! I’m very excited to hear your thoughts when you read the series!
Nice. These could give a high school learning list for a semester instead of the one we usually have. I read Crime and Punishment in high school.
I’m jealous! I’m so behind when it comes to reading classics but better late than never, right? Thanks!
@@Johanna_reads don’t think that the kids today so happy with classical literature or music studies. They have exactly zero interest in it. “In our time”… yet my own mother who teaches in high school and principal for 40 years, says that the kids are losing interest. They are addicted to smart phones. Now the newest law bans smart phones in schools so they have to check it in at the door. There was a full TikTok outburst about it. But here and in Germany no smart phone, period.
Hi Johanna. I'm looking forward to reading Crime and Punishment in 2025. It sounds full of promise and fascinating storytelling.
I hope you enjoy it, Curt!
Good picks! I’ve read C&P a few times, always in winter (winter just fits with Russian lit). Klara and the Sun has such a beautiful cover, I keep meaning to pick it up. Keegan seems to be popping up everywhere, sounds like it’s well-deserved. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Thank you! I can totally imagine C&P in the winter, but I was also surprised the weather was not very cold in the book. Keegan and Ishiguro are excellent if you enjoy subtle themes and a light, purposeful writing style.
I agree with you on Crime and Punishment. I enjoyed the plot and character work, but the philosophical writing style was very dense and made it a more challenging read for me. I will also get more out of it on a re read, and I think this is the type of book you almost HAVE to read more than once. I think I felt impatient with it because I was so curious how the plot would go, maybe I rushed the philosophy.
I can understand that! It's very slow-burn. I think a reread would further reveal how every part is purposefully put in place. I might've had an advantage since my mom had read it before. As for the philosophy connections, I found myself flipping back to every footnote 😅.
Interesting association between C&P and Nietzsche. Great video as always!
Thank you! 😊
Nietzsche was actually a big fan of Dostoevsky. In Twilight of the Idols he famously states that Dostoevsky was “the only psychologist from whom I had something to learn.”
Yeah, the epilogue is widely contentious. Every time I read C&P I find I change my mind whether or not I think it’s good😅
I read that as well about Nietzche being a fan of Dostoevsky! Very interesting! Thank you so much for sharing that and for not making me feel alone about the end! 😅
What a special way to read Crime & Punishment! I soft DNFed C&P earlier this year due to toking but I definitely want to return to it. Cant wait to try Klara and the Sun!
Wait, what?! 🤣 I hope you enjoy both when the time is right! I hope I'm not wrong about you enjoying Klara and the Sun!
@@Johanna_reads meant to say due to timing 🤣🤣
@@readbykyle3082 🤣🤣🤣
Thank you for the honest reviews,. 🎉
My pleasure 😊 Thank you, Safina!
Johanna, Klara and the Sun sounds truly fascinating. If you enjoyed this Ishiguro novel, you should read Feed, by M.T. Anderson, and watch Her, which is a film by Spike Jonze. Btw, I really think you're going to love Never Let Me Go. Also, I'm so happy you enjoyed Crime and Punishment. It's one of my favorite novels. I taught it for a couple of years. Truly a philosophical masterpiece. If you found the philosophical ideas fascinating, I would recommend that you read Nietzsche next. Either Beyond Good and Evil, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or The Genealogy of Morals. And you're right that there's no evidence that Dostoevsky had read Nietzsche before writing this, even though Nietzsche wrote during this same time period. That said, there were many people in Europe and Russia at the time who were advocating what they call "Great Man" theories of history and morality. Lovely video! :)
Jordan, thank you! C&P would be such a great teaching novel, and I’m sure it speaks to the Zeitgeist at that period. I certainly need to read Nietzsche. Thank you so much for the recommendations! 💙
I got a little bored with Crime and Punishment around page 150 and never picked it up again, I mean it was good and interesting but whatever else was on my nightstand at the time won out it seems. I feel like that's what happens with Dostoevsky for me, one day I'll complete one of his books. Hope you are enjoying the late summer sun's nourishment.
It does have a slow build in the first half, so I can completely understand dropping off. I hope you enjoy it if you choose to continue! Thank you! 😊
Nietzsche was deeply influenced by Dostoevsky, going so for as to call him one of the greats (maybe even the greatest psychologists-though I’d argue Søren Kierkegaard is just as good with his wonderful exposition on existential anxiety). Anyway…the connection is there. I hope you delve into more of Dostoevsky’s work. I’d love your thoughts on The Brothers Karamazov. I loved this novel even more than Crime and Punishment. Speaking of the Russians, I can’t help but shill for Anna Karenina. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend the book. You’ve prob noticed I’m a big fan of Russian literature lol. Also, well done on the translation pick.
Thank you! I read that Nietzsche admired Dostoevsky, and I’d love to learn more about that. I might be starting one of those works later this year. So glad I got a great translation for this one!
@@Johanna_reads well, if you ever wanted to do a read a long of one of Nietzsche’s works, or some of the other Russian fellas, let me know ☺️
@@Johanna_reads oh! And if you were down for some satirical Russian fantasy The Master and Margarita is a good pick ☺️
@@sebastianvicewriter I just recently heard about The Master and Margarita-I want to say it was on The Active Mind’s channel. He focuses on a lot of Russian lit. Thanks for the recommendation!
I'm just at 50% in The Curse of the Mistwraith. The book is rewiring my brain 😂
It will do that! 😂 I thought the second half of Curse of the Mistwraith flowed really well! Enjoy!
I really need to read Janny. I appreciate your well articulated thoughts on each book. I’ve read Crime and Punishment and it was too psychological for me, I don’t like being in other people’s heads that much. Also why Virginia Wolf typically doesn’t work for me either.
Thank you! C&P is definitely a deep-end psychological journey, so I can understand if that’s not your thing.
How I loved Crime and Punishment! No. 4 on my all-time list. You are so blessed that you were able to buddy-read it with your mother. Your picture is of the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation. Is that the one you read? I understand there is a newer translation by Michael Katz (2019?) and you may have inspired me to pick it up. Thank you.
That is the translation I read though my mom read the Penguin translation by David McDuff. I was very fortunate! Thanks!
@@Johanna_reads They are a great husband and wife team. Their translations of Tolstoy are also excellent. (Just sayin').
Asking for a friend-do you suggest doing one massive series at a time?? Aka-this friend of mine is midway through Malazan and has a brain that can only register so much epicness but wants to read wars of light and shadow. Anyways-thank you!
Dostoyevsky is one of those authors I’ve been putting off because of how polarizing I assume the writing style is. I definitely need to get over that self limiting hurdle and just dive in
While the two series are vastly different from one another, I don't recommend reading Malazan and Wars of Light and Shadow at the same time. It's good to take epic fantasy brain breaks! 😄
I think Dostoevsky's C&P is worth reading, but some readers may need a suspension of disbelief at the end! 😅
@@Johanna_reads I follow! And yes I plan on picking up ride to hells chasm within the next 6 months to get my janny wurts intro done and perhaps her collaborated empire trilogy since I also don’t have any feist under my belt.
Glad to hear the advice for C+P. I know I’m gonna need it! (I also appreciate how wide you read and how you take the journey)
I wanted to add Small Things Like These to my reading plans. I haven't read Keegan, but I hear her name mentioned often. Do you recommend the book? You said the audiobook was great, but did the story also have an impact? Thx
Hi Bart! I linked my review of Small Things Like These if you want to hear my thoughts. I personally think you might enjoy Keegan! From what I've experienced so far, I would say Keegan's stories may not seem dramatic on the surface, but there is much depth for the reflective reader. Excellent if you love stories imbued with subtlety!
@@Johanna_reads Thank you. I’ll watch it later. Yes, I’m learning that I do enjoy subtlety in prose. If fact, I’m reading Ishiguro’s Remains of the Day right now and I am finding just that aspect of the read most enjoyable. While it’s a completely different book than Klara or Never let me Go, that’s same -toned down- style prevails.
Hello there hey there hey there hey Hello hi hello hi
Hello! :)
I read 11 books in August
That's great, Angela! Hope
You enjoyed them!
I’m reading Crime and Punishment right now! 160 pages in. Bit tricky to keep the Russian names straight at first but it’s otherwise quite readable. Which translation did you read?
That's so true about all the Russian names. The translation I read was by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (same edition I showed on the screen). Many have told me this is one of the best translations available.
I started listening to Klara and the Sun last week I liked the book but the narrator was irking me a lot so I will see if Libby has an e book ASAP. What I read was very good! So oddly eerie and unsettling to me.
I put Crime and punishment down for November. It’s always available through my library on Libby along with Brothers Karmozov. I try to read two classics a month and this is one I think will be a good one.
Have you read much of Nietzsche? I’ve only read The Joyous Science because it had God is Dead in it. Fascinating man to read about
Aberrant month for me what with this move abroad but August was still relatively positive.
I relistened to the audiobook of Dune, which is stilll a great book and probably one of my favorite reads of all time. Not much to report on that one except Scott Brick is a severely underrated voice actor and narrator. He plays Duke Leto the Just in the audiobook as well as God Emperor Leto the Second in the God Emperor epitaghs. Such an interesting voice!
Also finished reading, finally, the Art and Soul of Dune part 1 which talks about the making of the 2021 film. This supplies further, undeniable evidence that practical effects are the way to go. :D
Some short fiction I read was Kawabata's Master of Go and the fifth installment of Legend of the Galactic Heroes series, both of which I had a great time with.
LOGH is my go to cheesy sci fi series when I need a break from other things. I do think it is funny though how much Tanaka, the author, loves to talk about exactly how good looking one of his main characters is. I mean, he described his laugh in one book as sounding like gemstones clattering together or something. Maybe it's the translation. Still amuses me to no end so I can't really complain about it.
Kawabata continues to impress me with his books about post war Japan. Master of Go is literally about one game of Go that takes place over a six month period between an elderly Master and a rising Go genius. Fans of the Queen's Gambit may be interested. I am planning on reading Snow Country in November, which heavily contributed to his Nobel Prize.
A five star book for me this month was actually an art book. The Art of the Ghost of Tushima. Absolutely stunning content here. The love these developers had for their game is palpable. This is in the running for my top ten of the year.
I was inspired to find some reading material on the history of Japan during this tumultuous period because of this game so I read The Mongol Invasion of Japan by Stephen Turnbull this month. This is apart of a large series of books called Osprey Campaigns which are usually between ninety and 100 pages long and include large illustrations. Each book focuses on a historical battle and are great for people who are interested in learning more about military history but don't have a good background in the subject. I read their book on Sekigahara last month and it was quite informative.
Had a few mild dissapointments this month. Beasts of a little land by Juhea Kim was a read I have been looking forward to for a bit. It takes place in Korea between the World Wars when Korea was under Japanese occupation. I thought this was going to focus more on history but it ended up being more of a romance so unless you were really interested in these characters there wasn't a ton to see. Ah well. For a premier book it wasn't bad it just wasn't exactly what I was looking for.
Bigger disappointment was, sadly, Tigana by GGK. This book.....it just wasn't my thing. I think the book may have appealed more, if it been written as a dark comedy about two dictators trying to sabatoge each other and the local people being passively uncooperative. There was a section of the book that was written like this that had me actually cracking up when I was driving. The way this book is, Kay never really develops the unique culture or history of Tigana, except for the importance of the name, and I never quite came to care about it. I think it is clear this is an early book of his when he was still trying to write truly high fantasy. Kay is still one of my favorite authors though and I have three books of his planned for the rest of the year while I am abroad. Happy reading guys
I had the audiobook of Klara and the Sun available via Libby, and while I didn't mind the narrator, I found the visual reading experience far more impactful. There was a passage that I visually read that brought me to tears. I then listened to that section, and it didn't have nearly the same impact one me.
I learned about Nietzsche in college, but I regret that I haven't read anything by him yet. I really need to get to Also Sprach Zarathustra.
Interesting to hear your critiques of Tigana! I did a review and hosted a discussion on the book earlier this year. One discussion point was how Kay is not the most elaborate world-builder, but I personally enjoy the cultural touches of song, wine, and annual festivities in his books.
Dune is one of my faves!!!
Thanks for the review. Quick question: How would you compare the wars of light and shadow to Malazan in terms of scope, pros, and plot lines?
Thank you for your question! This might need a whole separate video, but I'll try to be concise here:
Scope: both have large histories, but Malazan is much more sprawling and larger in setting, character list, and story timeline. WoLaS is multi-POV, but mainly follows the story of two half-brothers. It's much more linear and focused.
Prose: Wurts has a much more consistent and elaborate style than Erikson. I find Erikson easier to read, and it has a more varied range in how he writes character voice, epigraphs, and action vs. non-action. Wurts's prose is arguably more visually immersive.
Plot: Malazan has an overarching narrative with several storylines. I think A.P. aptly called it "mosaic," which couldn't be a more perfect description. WoLaS has excellent plotting that interconnects worlds and primary characters. The story is more linear with some repetition, but everything installment circles back to earlier installments.
@@Johanna_reads A very comprehensive and insightful response. Many thanks.
Heavy month 😅
Hahaha! 😄
Does anyone have a recommendation on which translation of Crime and Punishment is best to read? Thanks
Pevear and Volokhonsky is a good translation. It is the one that I read, and many people say that their translations from Russian are the best
My mom and I sat down at the Barnes and Noble cafe and compared a few different translations. There was only one copy of the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation, which is the one I read and have on the screen. My mom had the Penguin translation, which is good, but we agreed that the Pevear and Volokhonsky is better.
Since then, I've heard numerous people recommend Pevear and Volokhonsky!
Modern psychology is typically two-faced tbh. You have your theorists and you have your clincians - both to me are rather strange and unrelatable. They don't really understand people as much as they like to say they do. And they don't seem to really know themselves either. And in regards to this Dostoyevskian and Nietzechean morality most people and not just psychologists fail the test with flying colors (I know how people like their colors). So, yeah, if you buy into these modern psychologists that are more or less self help gurus with an academic flair, then the ending would seem a bit basic and even concerning. But I suppose that is ultimately the lack of hope and the ingrained societal nihilsm that people wouldn't dare mistake themselves for.
Haha! I'm sure there are some untrustworthy people on platforms, but I'm sure they don't represent the whole field.
@@Johanna_reads Good point, lol. I'm sure there's some good ones. But I still find most fairweather clinicians. Dostoevsky seems more transparent to me tbh, lol.
Have a good day!