Anyone read this and have thoughts about it? I feel like I missed the point or picked it up with some wildly wrong expectations. To me it was underwhelming with a very dissapointing ending. All in all it just felt like a soap opera riddled with blue pill ideology. Not sure what I was thinking.

Dostoyevsky has some great insights into human behavior, and it was interesting reading the political/philosophical discussions between characters as they seemed to mirror those of today.. nothing ever changes eh. I guess in a way the book is a critique of utilitarianism judging by the main characters arc. It almost feels like Dostoyevsky knew Russian society was headed for the shitter due to that dangerous kind of thinking.

I thought it was going to be a story of salvation through a mans trials in a Siberian prison camp, which is why I picked it up, but he only went to prison in the last few pages and his struggles there were barely touched. Sure the whole book basically deals with him going insane due to guilt that he refuses to admit to himself, but there never seemed to be a proper resolution to that. No moral or spiritual awakening. His catharsis at the end all revolves around his devotion to an ex prostitute that followed him out there, and his hope that after 7 years in prison he will get to experience some fairy tale romance with this unicorn. All these deep spiritual themes hinted at throughout the story, and it comes down to a disney style ending.

Moral of the story was every man is a piece of shit sinner innately (which is highlighted frequently), but if you do right by women, then you will be absolved and can be at peace. Women seem to have taken the place of Christ in this story. One key character is so racked by guilt, he lets his wife beat the shit out of him on a regular basis. Another kills himself because he got rejected by a woman he loved and also due to self hate he harbors related to his womanizing lifestyle (which he is demonized for). There are many more examples, but that's the gist of it.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.