The Landlady (Dover Thrift Editions: Classic Novels) Paperback – April 17, 2019

I received the book in perfect condition within a few days of ordering.

Two human beings run into each other: two worlds collide. Having read all of Dostoevsky’s short works and most of his novels, I picked up _The Landlady_ with great anticipation. The text had a rather strange effect on me. I was enthralled at the beginning, confused towards the middle, and expectant towards the end. Since this is a relatively brief tale, this will be a brief review. If some of my comments seem vague, please attribute that to my reluctance to give away important plot elements. For the sake of context, I will say that, among Dostoevsky’s novellas, my favorite are _The Eternal Husband_, _Notes from Underground_, and _The Gambler_. I also love “White Nights,” but I’m having a hard time deciding whether this tale is a novella or a short story._The Landlady_ is the story of Vassily Ordynov, a solitary young man who rents a room after he inherits some money. He is interested in science, we are told, but other than that he leads a rather dull life. It’s difficult not to think of Raskolnikov, but Ordynov is more of a lover who keeps his dark side under control. As the story begins, he has switched lodgings, and one day, as he wanders around, he runs into an odd couple: an old man and a beautiful young woman. Ordynov is immediately captivated by the lady, whose name is Katerina, and he eventually becomes a lodger at the couple’s house. Katerina takes care of him after he falls ill, and then tells him the story of her life. As Ordynov learns of the bond that unites Katerina and the old man, we wonder whether the two youths have a future together.I could not help comparing _The Landlady_ to “White Nights,” another story about two young people who like each other but whose circumstances raise problems. “White Nights” is a hopeful story, a story about picking up the pieces and moving on. _A Gentle Creature_ would be the exact opposite; a story that argues that sometimes the pieces are not large enough for one to pick them up. _The Landlady_ is somewhere in the middle, though closer to _A Gentle Creature_ than to “White Nights.” In terms of quality, I would say _The Landlady_ is the inferior piece. There is definitely something the matter with the structure, as you will see after Katerina tells her story. I cannot say much without spoiling the plot. I simply felt somewhat let down, and I got the feeling that Dostoevsky had either improvised the story or changed his mind about it as he wrote. He has been known to do this, as you may know. To paraphrase Chesterton’s comment on Dickens, I’ll say Dostoevsky is a great writer even if he was not always a good writer.As I read the first half of _The Landlady_, I kept asking myself why this was not Dostoevsky’s most famous novella. The second half of the story provided the unfortunate answer. I am by no means saying the tale is not worth your time; my point is that it could have been a much superior story. In the context of Dostoevsky’s short works, _The Landlady_ is a little above average, hence the three stars. If you’re a fan of Dostoevsky, you will enjoy it. If, like me, you are drawn to the neglected pieces in a given author’s oeuvre, you will find much that is memorable here. I was, in fact, tempted to give this novella four stars, but that would not make sense in the context of Dostoevsky’s other works. I’d give “White Nights” five stars; _A Gentle Creature_, four; and so I must give three to _The Landlady_.My next book by Dostoevsky will be _Insulted and Injured_.Thanks for reading, and enjoy the book!

I did not have the chance to read this short estory yet. But what not to like ? Every book od F. D. is differentwith ritch language, complex caracters and full of wonderful detail.I am sure I am going to enjoy the entire work