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Crime and Punishment cover art

Crime and Punishment

By: Fyodor Dostoevsky,Constance Garnett - translator
Narrated by: Anthony Heald
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Summary

In this intense detective thriller instilled with philosophical, religious, and social commentary, Dostoevsky studies the psychological impact upon a desperate and impoverished student when he murders a despicable pawnbroker, transgressing moral law to ultimately "benefit humanity".
©1866 Public Domain (P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about Crime and Punishment

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

An absorbing and lively listen

I listened to several of the available samples before choosing this particular recording. People seem to get quite heated about which translations are the better, and of course I'm no expert, but my personal opinion is that this version flows along really well and is not at all stilted; in fact, most of the time I forgot I was listening to a translation.

The story itself is really gripping and compulsive, much of it dealing with the almost unbearable mental torment suffered by the central character. Anthony Heald reads the book with great expression and feeling and I found myself totally absorbed as I listened.

My only slight difficulty (which would have been the same whichever recording I'd chosen) was that occasionally I got a bit mixed up between the many similar sounding (to me) Russian names: I therefore recommend not leaving too long between listening sessions, as without the physical book there it's hard to go back and check who's who when you've forgotton.

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21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great reading of a great classic

Crime and Punishment is such a dark and intense book, with a reputation arguably with being difficult which I'm sure puts many people off. Perhaps, however, the best way to experience it is an audiobook; much of the book comprises dialogue or inner monologue, so a good narrator can really make sense of the story and bring the book alive.

And indeed Anthony Heal does a marvellous job in this audio-version; he reads at quite a pace, but always clearly, and this in fact suits Dostoyevsky's style very well. He also paints the large cast of complex characters in a convincing and vivid way, and is assured with the pronunciation of Russian names. I have previously listened to the George Guidall reading, which is truly excellent, but this version is just as good.

One minor beef: sound quality was not ideal - quite heavy in the base registry - surprising with such a modern recording; dont think it was my headphones, but try a sample first if you are thinkng of buying the book, though I wouldn't let this put you off.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

settle down to a good yarn

My first Dostoevsky novel and he can certainly weave a tale. Beautifully translated with memorable characters, this novel has longevity. What I liked most was how some chapters and scenes in the book could evoke totally opposite emotions simultaneously (e.g. the dinner service after the funeral-hilarious or tragic? Or maybe one because of the other)
Did not like or agree with the ending though and certainly don’t believe that the main character was punished enough for his crime (felt cheated) which to some extend makes me question the authors character.
Anthony Heald’s reading is simply superb. His vocal range not only brought all the numerous personalities to life, male or female, but also made identifying each one rather easy. He is so good in fact that I have my eye on another one of his narrations “fathers and sons” by Turgenev.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • L
  • 01-12-13

EXcellent

I really enjoyed this. I knew the story from various adaptions and this full length reading didn't disappoint. The narration was excellent. It was slow enough and each voice was distinct enough that the russian names didn't confuse.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A true thriller to withstand time

What made the experience of listening to Crime and Punishment the most enjoyable?

The pacing of the narrator's voice is timed impeccably with the mood of the story and the subtleties and idiosyncrasies and just everything was done beautifully. The narration was flawless. I hope every audiobook experience to echo this one. Words cannot convey the depth of my praise for this.

Any additional comments?

Please do yourself a favour and do whatever necessary to read this timeless classic. It will change your definition of brilliance for the better, and raise your standards of fiction immeasurably.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Brillliant listening

I had been encouraged by a Russian Orthodox Priest to read Crime & Punishment so was delighted to find it in the Audible listing. I was totally drawn into the story by the way Anthony Heald narrated it and couldn't wait for the next opportunity to continue listening. In some way this is a dark story but it is an amazing study of humanity under pressure. I highly recommend this Russian Classic by one or Russia's great authors.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Such an epic!

I loved listening to this reading of Crime and Punishment. I thought it was superbly narrated.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

I am very impressed with story and the reader I would definitely recommend this to anyone in need of a good story

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Overhyped, but not without merit

This is one of those classics everyone has heard of, which is one reason I picked it up. I’ve been making my way through the classics and many of which are warranted in their lofty critic. This one however is not. A collection of poorly tied together monologues with a central character being…well, someone I couldn’t care less about. The story raises some interesting questions but that’s about it.

Don’t avoid this book imo, but be aware that it isn’t as good as it reputation suggests…imo

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

amazing

what an epic novel, a true deep dive into the psychology of a criminal. massive shout out to the narrator who bought this to life, what a reading!

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