Mini Book Review: The Master and Margarita
The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov, is considered to be a classic of modern Russian literature. Bulgakov wrote it during the time of the Soviet Union, and because of its portrayal of the corruption and absurdities of that regime, it actually wasn't published in a non-censored form until many years after Bulgakov's death.
The gist of the story is that the devil and his retinue show up in Moscow and begin wreaking havoc, particularly among the unscrupulous and corrupt. (The institutionalized atheism of the USSR gets pretty harsh treatment too. Pro-tip: Lucifer does not appreciate being told to his face that he doesn't exist.) Yet in doing so, they also reunite two lovers who seem to be devoid of the venality and greed that are so commonplace around them. Some scenes in the story are very surreal, which is a style I'm not usually into, but it works here just because the events going on are things that are so far outside of any normal experience. There are also a lot of historical, literary, and musical references, many of which are specifically related to Russian culture--luckily my copy of the book has extensive translator's notes in the back that explain these.
One other interesting aspect of the novel is that the two title characters don't actually show up until about halfway through. As I was reading, I did occasionally find myself wondering when they were going to appear, but the plot was interesting (and, at points, darkly funny) enough that I didn't mind. I was also surprised by how strongly the theme of redemption resonated at the end of the story, given that one of the major characters is, you know, Satan.
The gist of the story is that the devil and his retinue show up in Moscow and begin wreaking havoc, particularly among the unscrupulous and corrupt. (The institutionalized atheism of the USSR gets pretty harsh treatment too. Pro-tip: Lucifer does not appreciate being told to his face that he doesn't exist.) Yet in doing so, they also reunite two lovers who seem to be devoid of the venality and greed that are so commonplace around them. Some scenes in the story are very surreal, which is a style I'm not usually into, but it works here just because the events going on are things that are so far outside of any normal experience. There are also a lot of historical, literary, and musical references, many of which are specifically related to Russian culture--luckily my copy of the book has extensive translator's notes in the back that explain these.
One other interesting aspect of the novel is that the two title characters don't actually show up until about halfway through. As I was reading, I did occasionally find myself wondering when they were going to appear, but the plot was interesting (and, at points, darkly funny) enough that I didn't mind. I was also surprised by how strongly the theme of redemption resonated at the end of the story, given that one of the major characters is, you know, Satan.