Fathers and Sons
Ratings2
Average rating4
15
Ratings2
Average rating4
When Arkady Petrovich comes home from college, his father finds his eager, naive son changed almost beyond recognition, for the impressionable Arkady has fallen under the powerful influence of the friend he has brought with him. A self-proclaimed nihilist, the ardent young Bazarov shocks Arkady's father by criticizing the landowning way of life and by his outspoken determination to sweep away traditional values of contemporary Russian society. Turgenev's depiction of the conflict between generations and their ideals stunned readers when Fathers and Sons was first published in 1862. But many could also sympathize with Arkady's fascination with its nihilist hero whose story vividly captures the hopes and regrets of a changing Russia.
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Great book especially because of the rebellious Bazarov who is an unapologetic rebel, a nihilist who challenges every Russian traditional value there is to be challenged. This is a great description of generational divide and almost a prophetical novel given the turmoils and destruction russia went trough in the next 100 years after this novel was written. I put this roughly in the same place as [bc:The Idiot 12505 The Idiot Fyodor Dostoyevsky https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327865902s/12505.jpg 6552198] By [a:Fyodor Dostoyevsky 3137322 Fyodor Dostoyevsky https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1456149904p2/3137322.jpg]. However Fathers and Sons moves the story much more quickly and in the end you get the feeling that the book was even too short. A remarkable thing to say about a russian novel in the world of aristocracy and social and political upheaval. Turgenev is easy to read, despite this book having a character you would like to punch on multiple occasions in the face. The foreword is great the afterword is great and the annotations guiding the modern day reader are great. A great tribute for penguin classics.
