The IdiotThe Idiot
Score Classic
What it's about
Prince Lev Myshkin returns to St. Petersburg after years in a Swiss sanatorium, where he was treated for epilepsy. He is good, trusting and honest to a fault, and society treats him as a fool. He's quickly drawn into the lives of two very different women: Nastasya Filippovna, a beautiful, wounded woman with a scandalous past, and Aglaya, the proud youngest daughter of a general. A jealous merchant, Rogozhin, is also in love with Nastasya, and the story moves toward tragedy.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Bokklubben World Library of the greatest books. Dostoevsky set out to portray "a positively good man," and the result is one of his most moving books.
You'll love it if you liked
The Brothers Karamazov
Crime and Punishment
Anna KareninaGood to know
It's long, with sprawling dinner-party scenes. The ending is dark.
By the numbers
- Readers79 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller33 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #52 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #150 of the 762 classics we rank
- #468 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
More by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Brothers KaramazovCrime and Punishment
Demons
Notes From UndergroundIf you like this, read next
East of Eden
War and Peace
Augustus
Beloved
The Souls of Black Folk
The Master and MargaritaExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Idiot worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Bokklubben World Library of the greatest books. It ranks #468 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Idiot about?
Prince Lev Myshkin returns to St. Petersburg after years in a Swiss sanatorium, where he was treated for epilepsy. He is good, trusting and honest to a fault, and society treats him as a fool. He's quickly drawn into the lives of two very different women: Nastasya Filippovna, a beautiful, wounded woman with a scandalous past, and Aglaya, the proud youngest daughter of a general. A jealous merchant, Rogozhin, is also in love with Nastasya, and the story moves toward tragedy.
How long does it take to read The Idiot?
About 20 hours (784 pages), or about 6 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Idiot?
If you liked it, try The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky or Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.