Dostoevsky’s Top 10 Novels
Fyodor Dostoevsky is largely considered one of the greatest writers of all time. As one of the first existentialist writers, his imaginative works span from short love stories to magnificent epics.Without further ado, let’s jump in and start ranking his novels (Note: If you haven’t yet read Dostoevsky’s novels, save this article and come back once you have).
The Top Ten
10. The Gambler
The Gambler is a fine piece of literature, but it pales in comparison to Dostoevsky’s later works. Its major theme, gambling addiction, is classic Dostoevsky, but the depth of the story is weak compared to some of his other novels. This novel may have provided the inspiration for the famous Polish card-playing episode in The Brothers Karamazov. But at least it made the list!
9. Netochka Nezvanova
This unfinished work was abandoned after Dostoevsky was sent to Siberia in exile. What survives is an interesting read, mostly due to the crazy, tragic story of Netochka’s step-father which would be loosely copied in some of Dostoevsky’s later works such as Crime and Punishment.
8. Poor Folk
Poor Folk put Dostoevsky on the map in mid-century Russia, but the novel itself is mostly cliche by today’s standards. The structure of the novel, which consists of two lovers writing each other letters, was later used in Dostoevsky’s more famous novels and is worth noting.
7. The Idiot
Now we are arriving to some of the better known Dostoevsky novels! The Idiot is a long, complicated novel that is more confusing than philosophical. The most memorable episode comes when Ippolit Terentyev, a young boy, attempts suicide in front of the other characters, only for the gun to fail. Another memorable episode is when Nastasya Filipovna throws money into a fire. The main character of the story, the prince, is mostly unlikeable and makes the novel rank lower than Dostoevsky’s other 3 large novels.
6. The Double
Written before Dostoevsky’s exile, The Double reads like the plot of a Black Mirror episode. Golyadkin, the introverted clerk, begins to see- or imagine- his doppleganger everywhere he goes. Is the doppleganger even real? The Double is one of Dostoevsky’s most underrated novels, although it was adopted as a film starring Jesse Eisenberg!
The Top Five
The next 5 novels are Dostoevsky’s best and brightest, and as such, some of the best in all of world literature. All of these 5 were written after Dostoevsky returned from exile in Siberia. His writing ability was only enhanced from years away from the page.
5. Demons (or Devils)
Demons makes even the most intense political thrillers seem relatively tame. Murder, suicide, nihilism, politics, romance… Demons is Dostoevsky’s first novel to address politics and philosophy on an epic scale. Interestingly, Demons was based on real life radical political groups.
4. Notes from Underground
“I am a sick man…”, so begins the novel that would birth existentialism. The legendary quotes of this novel include the famous “Twice two is five is a good thing too”. The narrator cries out against logic, science, and fatalism. Notes from Underground seems to be the more philosophical, and more terrifying, version of Gogol’s Diary of a Madman. Some readers will likely suggest that this novel should be higher. After all, it did greatly influence an entire genre of literature, philosophy, and pyschology.
3. Crime and Punishment
The legendary story of Raskolnikov, the poor student who murders two women and is haunted by his actions. What makes this novel so timeless is that the murder happens relatively early in the action, but we slowly see Raskolnikov come to justice. The side plots include romance and clever “whodunnit” chapters. The philosophical questions surrounding poverty, freedom, and greatness, are classic Dostoevsky themes that are explored through some unforgettable characters.
2. The House of the Dead
Perhaps a surprise, but it shouldn’t be! The House of the Dead is Dosteovsky’s semi-autobiographical, semi-fictional account of his Siberian exile. Life inside the prison is explored, with hilarious characters and scenes but also philosophical questions about the nature of freedom. Similar to One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, this novel is a must-read for Dostoevsky fans.
Number One
Dostoevsky’s greatest novel, and one of the best novels in all of world literature.
- The Brothers Karamazov
How could anything else be number one? Dostevsky’s final novel follows the life events of three brothers (maybe more…) and their father’s murder. The themes of this novel take from the best of all of its predecessors. Religion, crime and punishment, existentialism, radicalism and nihilism. Some chapters on their own are famous and studied enough to have books written about them. The legendary “Grand Inquisitor” chapter. The trial chapter. The card playing scene, and Alyosha’s triumphant speech. This novel succeeds on a level that Dostoevsky’s other works just can’t quite measure up.
