The Brothers Karamazov

The first time I read this back in 2011, I gave it 5 stars and considered it one of my favorite books. It had a lasting impact on me because of the philosophical and theological conversations and ideas in the book.

However, my re-reading experience has not held up to my memory of the first time. The first time, I remember being invested in the characters and the story, and the murder mystery. This time I was bored for most of the book, other than those philosophical/theological conversations. I'm not sure if it was because I primarily listened to the audiobook this time instead of reading the physical book as I did the first time, or what.

I'm not sure I would have completed this second reading at all if I wasn't meeting with some friends locally for a couple of book club discussions about the book. The first one was great fun and I'm sure the one tomorrow will be as well.

Even though I struggled to get through the book this time, I still think this is a book that is worth reading. But if you don't have the time or patience to read the whole thing, you should at least read the section called “The Grand Inquisitor”. This is a poem that Ivan recites which questions the possibility of a personal and benevolent God.

The other section that has stayed with me all this time is when Ivan is railing against a God who would cause or permit the suffering of children. I can understand why some, thinking that believing in God means believing he wills every horrible thing that happens in the world, have abandoned belief in God entirely. Ivan says, “I renounce the higher harmony altogether, it's not worth the tears of ... one tortured child.”Memorable quotes/highlights:“The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love...““Love is such a priceless treasure that you can redeem the whole world by it, and expiate not only your own sins but the sins of others.”“I love mankind, he said, “but I find to my amazement that the more I love mankind as a whole, the less I love man in particular.” “Can you understand why a little creature, who can't even understand what's done to her, should beat her little aching heart with her tiny fist in the dark and the cold, and weep her meek unresentful tears to dear, kind God to protect her? Do you understand that, friend and brother, you pious and humble novice? Do you understand why this infamy must be and is permitted? Without it, I am told, man could not have existed on earth, for he could not have known good and evil. Why should he know that diabolical good and evil when it costs so much? Why, the whole world of knowledge is not worth that child's prayer to dear, kind God'!”“I don't want more suffering. And if the sufferings of children go to swell the sum of sufferings which was necessary to pay for truth, then I protest that the truth is not worth such a price.”“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.”