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Diane's Reviews > The Master and Margarita
The Master and Margarita
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Diane's review
bookshelves: book-club, magical-realism, russia, modern-fiction, classics
Nov 19, 2013
bookshelves: book-club, magical-realism, russia, modern-fiction, classics
What. The Hell. Was That?
This Russian novel was so wacky and schizophrenic that it gave me a headache.
I had never heard of "The Master and Margarita" until a book club friend said it was one of her favorites. It comes weighted with a lot of praise -- it is considered one of the great Russian novels and has been listed as one of the best books of the 20th Century.
I read a lot of glowing, 5-star reviews of this book, but I just didn't connect with it as others have. I didn't even like the book until page 217, which was when Margarita finally showed up. The second half of the book is definitely better than the first half, which really plodded along in places.
But I'm getting ahead of myself, so let's back up. According to the introduction, Bulgakov was upset about how Christ was portrayed in Soviet anti-religious propaganda, so he wrote a satire about what would happen if Satan suddenly appeared in Moscow. The novel pokes fun at the greed and pettiness of people, and at the rigid social order in Russian life.
While I did have a few giggles at the hijinks that ensue when the devil starts making mischief -- and there's a talking cat! -- there were also these frustrating flashbacks to Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, which is what gave me a headache. And I'm getting another one just thinking about trying to summarize the rest of the story, so forgive me if I pop some aspirin and recommend anyone who is interested in this novel to read Kris' excellent review. She got way more out of this book than I did.
Bulgakov worked on the novel for more than a decade, but in several different versions because at one point he even burned the manuscript. (One of its most famous quotes is that "manuscripts don't burn.")
While I know enough about Stalin's oppressive regime to appreciate the creative protest that Bulgakov was undertaking, I think I would rather read a biography about the author than to ever reread "Master and Margarita."
This Russian novel was so wacky and schizophrenic that it gave me a headache.
I had never heard of "The Master and Margarita" until a book club friend said it was one of her favorites. It comes weighted with a lot of praise -- it is considered one of the great Russian novels and has been listed as one of the best books of the 20th Century.
I read a lot of glowing, 5-star reviews of this book, but I just didn't connect with it as others have. I didn't even like the book until page 217, which was when Margarita finally showed up. The second half of the book is definitely better than the first half, which really plodded along in places.
But I'm getting ahead of myself, so let's back up. According to the introduction, Bulgakov was upset about how Christ was portrayed in Soviet anti-religious propaganda, so he wrote a satire about what would happen if Satan suddenly appeared in Moscow. The novel pokes fun at the greed and pettiness of people, and at the rigid social order in Russian life.
While I did have a few giggles at the hijinks that ensue when the devil starts making mischief -- and there's a talking cat! -- there were also these frustrating flashbacks to Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, which is what gave me a headache. And I'm getting another one just thinking about trying to summarize the rest of the story, so forgive me if I pop some aspirin and recommend anyone who is interested in this novel to read Kris' excellent review. She got way more out of this book than I did.
Bulgakov worked on the novel for more than a decade, but in several different versions because at one point he even burned the manuscript. (One of its most famous quotes is that "manuscripts don't burn.")
While I know enough about Stalin's oppressive regime to appreciate the creative protest that Bulgakov was undertaking, I think I would rather read a biography about the author than to ever reread "Master and Margarita."
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Adria
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rated it 5 stars
Nov 20, 2013 04:42AM
This is such a fabulous book... I've read it several times and highly recommend it! There are so many layers of meaning... Enjoy!
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cymashedshiy---Russian for crazy. Or Bezoomniy))
Yes, it is a difficult book. I don't even think that it is anti-soviet as such, its much more in the Christian tradition of putting worldly things in their place as compared with the Divine reality, the last shall be last and all that kind of thing, so anti or laughing at worldly things as a whole rather than just their specific manifestations in the 1930s Soviet Union - hence the juxtaposition with the chapters from the Master's book with Christ facing Pontius Pilate. The whole thing is springing out of an early Christian hagiographic tradition plus the apocalypse - Bulgakov's uncle was a Bishop who iirc wrote a book on the apocalypse. But this is a mostly alien understanding of the world to us in countries with a Protestant tradition, so we are just left with an impression of a book with some funny stuff and naked witches riding broomsticks!
Good, honest review.
Jan-Maat, I think you're right that there is a significant cultural gap in trying to read this book from a predominantly Protestant country. I read a lot of thoughtful reviews of this book and appreciated how much others got out of it, but I didn't get there.
Me neither the first time I read it, I just liked the funny stuff and the story within a story. Only later after reading various studious books did the gears grind and the penny start to drop about what Bulgakov might have been doing. ETA I suppose that's (or really clearly it is) a problem in a way for the book.
Of course, you did not like it. First, translated version lacks the charm of the original and the beauty of Russian language. Second, without knowing the history of Russia, it is very hard to relate. However, Master and Margarita is one of the greatest books ever written. If you grasp the idea behind the book, you will never be able to put it down. Bulgakov is a pure genius!
Haha! You earned a 'Like' by your very first line! Its charms were largely lost on me, too.
Thanks, Steve! I really wish I had been able to connect with this book. But it just didn't work out between us. Oh well, I like other Russian literature.
First What The Hell I've seen from you. ;)
Hi Rory! I wrote this review back in 2014, but yeah, I think this is the only book that has inspired me to write that phrase.
This is one of the causes why I love books. Each reader can understand a book in different way. For me The Master and Margarita is a masterpiece but I am also fascinated how you, Diane, have felt and saw this book.
I totally agree with you about this this. Ugh! I've learned my lesson about Magical Realism. Never again!
Hi Suzanne, this is one of those books I feel guilty I didn't like more.
What a great review, Diane! This book was an exhausting read, perhaps because I spent so much time researching the background as well as papers written about it. Although I did not enjoy the dark, somber plot, and honestly missed out on the humor, the prose was exceptional, hence the 5 star rating.
Hi Margitte, your review was very detailed! I'm glad you found it rewarding.
I loved the entire experience. It enriched my world tremendously.
