The library
Author Fyodor Dostoevsky Origin Russia First published 1867 Genre Psychological Fiction Pages 188 I read it Sep 2022
The Gambler
My review
Although many told me they didn’t like this particular book by Dostoyevsky, I really enjoyed it. It’s a relatively simple story, yet it has its own brilliant moments. Take the scene where the narrator realizes that ‘by a single turn of a roulette wheel everything… has become changed.’ It brilliantly shows how quickly a life can pivot on a single bet, and how hypocritical society is about success and failure.
My favourite quote
What could you say to me that I do not already know? Well, wherein lies my difficulty? It lies in the fact that by a single turn of a roulette wheel everything for me, has become changed. Yet, had things befallen otherwise, these moralists would have been among the first (yes, I feel persuaded of it) to approach me with friendly jests and congratulations. Yes, they would never have turned from me as they are doing now! No; tomorrow all shall be ended!
