Diary of a Superfluous Man
Ratings2
Average rating4.8
A vivid picture of nineteenth-century Russian society, but above all the poignant story of a man whose mortality becomes the only aspect of life that he shares with his fellow man. When Turgenev published Diary of a Superfluous Man in 1850, he created one of the first literary portraits of the alienated man. Turgenev once said that there was a great deal of himself in the unsuccessful lovers who appear in his fiction. This failure, along with painful self-consciousness, is a central fact for the ailing Chulkaturin in this melancholy tale. As he reflects on his life, he tells the story of Liza, whom he loved, and a prince, whom she loved instead, and the curious turns all their lives took.
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5 stars. An eloquent narration of the thoughts of a dying man, Chulkaturin, as he reflects on how he never seemed to belong, and how his love for a woman cemented that narrative. Turgenev fleshed out every possible emotion from Chulkaturin's thought with the most precise descriptions. Kudos to both Turgenev and Patterson, the translator. The prose read beautifully and I was enraptured.
My second Russian literature, but similar to The Death of Ivan Ilyich, the format is in a diary of a dying man. Both fictional narratives explored a particular philosophical concept. In this case, it was the superfluous man. Yet I find that in both, the dying main characters look back on their pitiable consequences, yet do not leave with bitterness and anger at others. As Chulkaturin declares in conclusion, “Live on, ye who live!”
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My Rating System:
5⭐️: Excellent book AND influenced a change in my views ⬅️⬅️⬅️
4.5⭐️: Excellent read
4⭐️: Great read, will recommend
3.5⭐️: Enjoyable read but missing something that will make it great
3⭐️: An okay read that I didn't regret spending time on it
2⭐️: Didn't enjoy
1⭐️: Didn't enjoy and had serious issues. Will suggest to avoid.
