The Gambler
Ratings41
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings41
Average rating3.8
The Gambler (Russian: Игрокъ, romanized: Igrok; modern spelling Игрок) is a short novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky about a young tutor in the employment of a formerly wealthy Russian general. The novella reflects Dostoevsky's own addiction to roulette, which was in more ways than one the inspiration for the book: Dostoevsky completed the novella in 1866 under a strict deadline to pay off gambling debts.
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“Useless, you say? But pleasure is always useful, and wild, boundless power—if only over a fly—is also a pleasure of a certain sort. Man is a despot by nature and likes to play the torturer. You like it terribly.”
“A true gentleman, even if he loses his entire fortune, must not show emotion.”
Esperaba más, mucho más. Mí primer encuentro con Dostoyevski no ha sido el más fructífero.
Another excellent work by Dostoevsky. One reason I am a huge fan of Dostoevsky is because of how well he puts readers into the minds of his characters. We in turn are able to learn a lot about life from the characters' perspectives. For example, what goes through the head of a chronic gambler? How are they able to spend the last bit of money they have on gambling? What urges them on to keep gambling? Through The Gambler, the reader can get very clear answers to these questions.
Compared to other works of Dostoevsky, The Gambler is a much easier read. The plot is often incredibly riveting. The characters feel very real. The language isn't as dense as Dostoevsky's other works. Still, something prevented me from giving the book 5 stars. Highly recommend nonetheless!
