Book Review: "The Gambler and Other Stories" by Fyodor Dostoevsky

You're not going to like me. I did some serious thinking last night that maybe it would be a good idea to shut down my blog on this website. I took a long 12+ hour interrupted (very, interrupted) sleep and came to my senses that even if I didn't feel the same as I used to, it was definitely a good idea to keep this up. Mostly, it is really the only place I can vent about books because I can't do it at work and at home, there's nobody to vent to - I live alone. Currently, I'm listening to Billy Joel, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan and other greats - and really just cheering myself up with a cup of coffee. So, we can assume that this blog will still be around: stay hopeful if you like reading my stuff.

The book opens with White Nights. Set in St. Petersburg, the story follows an unnamed narrator, a lonely and dreamy man, who spends his nights wandering the streets. One evening, he encounters Nastenka, a young woman waiting for her lover who has promised to return. Over four nights, they develop a close bond, with the narrator falling in love with her. However, Nastenka remains committed to her absent lover, and the story concludes with her joyful reunion with him, leaving the narrator heartbroken and alone. This poignant tale reflects themes of loneliness, fleeting happiness, and the conflict between dreams and reality. It is a beautiful piece of writing that intertwines Nastenka's story into the different encounters of different days.

We also have A Gentle Creature which is one of the more famous ones. This tragic and deeply psychological story is narrated by a pawnbroker reflecting on his troubled relationship with his young wife, referred to as the “gentle creature.” He describes how his cold, domineering behaviour, combined with his inability to express love, slowly drove her to despair. Despite his growing obsession with controlling her, she remains passive and silent, leading to her eventual suicide. The pawnbroker is left to grapple with guilt and confusion, trying to understand how his possessiveness and emotional cruelty contributed to her death. It is a really sad story, which means I had to cheer myself up after - this normally involves coffee and music.

Another story I liked was called Bobok - it's not one I would have heard of if it wasn't for this book. And in this darkly comedic story, the narrator, Ivan Ivanovich, a writer, visits a cemetery and begins to hear the voices of the recently deceased. These souls, lying in their graves, continue to talk among themselves, discussing their past lives and moral failures with startling candor. The dead, no longer constrained by societal norms, reveal their true natures in conversations filled with hypocrisy, vanity, and shamelessness. The story raises questions about human nature, morality, and what it means to live a meaningful life, as Ivanovich listens in horror and fascination to the afterlife’s chatter. The questions about moral failures and what makes a good human being reminds me of the arguments raised in Dostoevsky's fantastic tale embedded into one of my favourite novels: The Grand Inquisitor.

Another important story from this anthology is The Dream of a Ridiculous Man. This philosophical tale revolves around a man who, having lost all faith in humanity and life, decides to commit suicide. However, he falls asleep and experiences a dream in which he is transported to an idyllic, utopian world filled with purity, innocence, and perfect harmony. As he interacts with the people of this world, he realises that his arrival brings corruption, deceit, and suffering. Upon awakening, the man finds himself transformed, filled with a sense of redemption and a renewed desire to live, believing he must spread love and truth to a world he had once deemed meaningless. I like how this tale comes back from the point of no return and has the main character shake off what once was because of himself.

In conclusion, I have to say that this book has many fascinating stories where people must battle with themselves in spite of themselves. They must try to see past themselves to others and yet, they must also realise that they are part of a larger problem. It is such a great read for any fan of Dostoevsky. But, I will always say read The Brothers Karamazov first. It is one of my favourite books of all time.