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I will be the first to admit, I needed copious notes to complete this book. Not knowing all that much about Russia of the 1920's, I was at a loss as to the symbolism and even most of the satire that was written. This book took me a long time to get through, but I felt it was ultimately worth the effort.

We are introduced into a society where the devil is in prominence and controls the lives of various characters in the novel. There are the assortment of ne'er do wells, the unscrupulous, the wanton, the artists of writing and performers who run the gauntlet of Russian society. Even Pontius Pilate has his moments in this novel as we witness the interplay between good and evil. Of course there is a very direct connection to Faust as we see the choices one would make with the devil in order to achieve one's heart's desires. The novel is at times quite funny, but always with a philosophical tone throughout.

The author through satire not only makes fun of the Soviet system, but also the modern world. He points out the foibles of culture and its effects on the population as he points out how many of us are led by our wants and not necessarily our needs. As the author puts both Jerusalem and Moscow in the spotlight, the reader sees the polarity between the two. He points out an mazing number of contrasts not only in the living, but also in the higher level thinking skills we all possess. Curiosity, redemption, trust, the lack of heroism is played upon and one finds their presence following throughout the pages of this book.

When I finished, I felt that I had accomplished a very refined look ay Russian society and perhaps human nature as a whole. It was a laborious task to read this book, but one that was well worth the effort.