In 1849 the young Fyodor Dostoevsky was sentenced to four years’ hard labour in a Siberian prison camp for advocating socialism. Notes from a Dead House (sometimes translated as The House of the Dead), the novel he wrote on his release, tells of shocking conditions, brutal punishments, and the psychological effects of the loss of freedom and hope; it describes the daily life of the prison community, the feuds and betrayals, the moments of comedy, the unexpected acts of kindness.
To avoid censorship, Dostoevsky made his protagonist a common criminal, but the perspective is unmistakably his own. As a member of the nobility he had been despised by his fellow prisoners, most of whom were peasants – an experience shared in the book by Alexander Petrovich Goryanchikov, a nobleman who has killed his wife. Like his creator, Goryanchikov undergoes a transformation over the course of his ordeal, as he discovers ‘deep, strong, beautiful natures’ amongst even the roughest of the convicts. Notes from a Dead House shows the prison camp as a tragedy for the inmates and a tragedy for Russia. It endures today as a profound meditation on freedom.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 376
Imprint: Everyman’s Library UK
Publication date: 28/01/2021
Series: Everyman’s Library CLASSICS
Notes from a Dead House
by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Review by Sam
Dostoevsky's Notes provide an enthralling insight into his life in a Tsarist Siberian labour camp. He uses the narrative stand-in character of Goryanchikov as a proxy for his own experiences, giving the book a sense of dramatic flair without compromising its historical relevance. The depictions of the other inmates, from both the serf and nobility classes, are grounded and colourful (though rife with the prejudices of the time). Further, his descriptions of the Siberian landscape and the life of the inmates at work and at 'home' are thoroughly engaging. Dostoevsky's writing is clear yet detailed, with the fictionalized memoir style providing well-needed structure.
Don't be turned away by the book being classic Russian literature (which can definitely be harder to digest) - this translation in particular was absolutely stellar. I highly recommend this book to fans of Dostoevsky or his contemporaries (such as Tolstoy), fans of Solzhenitsyn, or those interested in the darker side of Russian history. I’d also suggest looking into the background of the book (which is explored very interestingly in the foreword) as well as Dostoevsky himself for further exploration of the novel's themes and ideas.
SCORPIO BOOKS
Five Lanes, The BNZ Centre
120 Hereford Street
Christchurch Central City
Ph: (03) 379 2882
TELLING TALES
Five Lanes, The BNZ Centre
101-111 Cashel St
Christchurch Central City
Ph: (03) 741 3309
FREE NZ SHIPPING FOR ORDERS OVER $100
