Fyodor Dostoyevsky

At the country estate of Stepanchikovo, the household has fallen completely under the sway of the despotic charlatan and humbug Foma Fomich Opiskin, one of the most notorious creations in Russian literature. The owner of the estate, Colonel Rostanev, a meek, soft-hearted giant of a man, is cruelly dominated by his parasitic houseguest - and now Opiskin has plans to marry his host off to an elderly widow. With deftly controlled suspense, amid a teeming variety of wildly eccentric minor characters, the novel builds up to a confrontation between these two. Will Rostanev give way to Opiskin's bullying and sacrifice the love of his life? Or will his sense of honour finally push him to resist the tyrant's demands? Full of pace, effervescence and absurd characters, this short comic novel represents a rare instance of Dostoyevsky's antic side. Written in the year of his return from exile, it marks the beginning of his artistic maturity. Chekhovian in its bittersweet evocation of a household at war with itself, Dickensian in its comic proliferation of characters, this novel is Dostoyevsky's portrait of a Russia on the verge of upheaval and transformation.

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.

Indulge in Dostoyevsky’s moody masterpiece with this exquisite unabridged edition featuring sprayed edges and a foil-embossed faux-leather cover.A critical masterpiece by the celebrated Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky, published in 1866, Crime and Punishment is considered one of the greatest works of world literature. Originally published as a series of monthly installments, readers follow the story of Russian student Rodion Raskolnikov as he ponders killing and stealing from a wealthy but dubious pawnbroker. Raskolnikov finds himself within a perplexing moral dilemma, which only deepens as the story progresses and becomes more complicated, with numerous twists and turns, mental distraction and distress, and a study of familial bonds and poverty.This collectible edition features:An elegant faux-leather cover with foil-embossed designsStunning sprayed edges for a continuous design on the front, edges, and backUnabridged textPerfect for classic literature lovers and bibliophiles alike, no library is complete without a copy of Crime and Punishment. Essential volumes for the shelves of every classic literature lover, Chartwell Deluxe Editions offer beautifully presented works from some of the most important authors in literary history. Other deluxe classics from Chartwell include Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Anne of Green Gables, The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, The Iliad, Inferno, Irish Fairy and Folk Tales, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Little Women, Meditations, and The Republic.