First published 1872
Pyotr and Stavrogin command a clandestine revolutionary group in Imperial Russia. They recruit followers willing to die for their cause: toppling the Tsar and seizing control through terror. The conspirators train their disciples in violence, promising that destruction of the old order will pave the way for their new society. But when authorities close in and exposure threatens the entire operation, the leaders face a brutal test. They must ask their devoted followers to commit the ultimate betrayal: murdering one of their own comrades to protect the group's secrets. The cell members must choose between loyalty to their friend and loyalty to their revolutionary ideals. Dostoevsky weaves savage political intrigue with moments of dark humor, creating a story that exposes how noble causes can corrupt those who serve them.
Genres: fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 19th-century, political-thriller, russian-literature
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, loyalty
Setting: Imperial Russia, Russia
Period: 19th Century
842 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books
Content warnings: violence