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Crime and Punishment

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Crime and Punishment

By: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Constance Garnett - translator
Narrated by: Anthony Heald
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About this listen

 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. Classics Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction Emotionally Gripping

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All stars
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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.

EXcellent

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The narration is nuanced and superb. The story is strong and suspenseful. Characters are detailed and unforgettable. Life and thought are peeled back layer after layer. There are scenes of horror and comic brilliance. Stunning. Enhance with a text and its a great combination for in-depth appreciation.

All Round Excellence

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Mr Heald’s performance is expressive and conveys every nuance in the story. His subtle use of accent and inflection enables one to keep track of the many different characters.

Excellent rendition

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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.

A true thriller to withstand time

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The expertise of the author in understanding how people behave and think is obvious, the characterisations are diverse and credible and the plot is intriguing and satisfying. It took me a while (perhaps 25% through) to feel really absorbed, but that is not unusual for me. I found it worth reading a list of the character names, since merely hearing them (and two seem rather similar) was sometimes confusing/unclear.

Well worth the effort!

Brilliant psychology, characterisations and plot.

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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.

Brillliant listening

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An immensely rewarding novel that requires perseverance and reflection.
Anthony Heald's narration brings the journey to life and eases the path of the listener through the journey.
Once absorbed, difficulty to put down.

Constance Garnett's translation is a classical 19th century tone, with beautiful language, but given this tumultuous period in political & philosophical ideas , some of the Russian fervour is suppressed within a somewhat tame Anglo-Victorian framework.
i intend to read an alternative translation at some stage in order to obtain a broader appreciation of the novel within the zeitgeist of late 19th century st. Petersburg.

Epic

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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.

Great reading of a great classic

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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.

settle down to a good yarn

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Fantastic book and wonderfully narrated. I have seen some reviews lambasting the narration, I thought the opposite and hope I find more books read by Anthony Heald. He brought life and emotion to a great old story.

Don't listen to some, the narration is excellent.

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