The Adolescent

Among Dostoevsky's later novels, The Adolescent occupies a very special place: published three years after The Devils and five years before his final masterpiece, The Karamazov Brothers, the novel charts the story of nineteen-year-old Arkady - the illigitimate son of the landowner Versilov and the maid Sofia Andreyevna - as he struggles to find his place in society and "become a Rothschild" against the background of 1870s Russia, a nation still tethered to its old systems and values but shaken up by the new ideological currents of socialism and nihilism. Both a Bildungsroman and a novel of ideas, dealing with themes such as the relationship between fathers and sons and the role of money in modern society, The Adolescent - here presented in a brand-new translation by Dora O'Brien - shows Dostoevsky at his finest as a social commentator and observer of the workings of a young man's mind. Among Dostoevsky{u2019}s Later Novels, The Adolescent Occupies A Very Special Place: Published Three Years After The Devils And Five Years Before His Final Masterpiece, The Karamazov Brothers, The Novel Charts The Story Of Nineteen-year-old Arkady {u2013} The Illegitimate Son Of The Landowner Versilov And The Maid Sofia Andreyevna {u2013} As He Struggles To Find His Place In Society And 2become A Rothschild3 Against The Background Of 1870s Russia, A Nation Still Tethered To Its Old Systems And Values But Shaken Up By The New Ideological Currents Of Socialism And Nihilism. Both A Bildungsroman And A Novel Of Ideas, Dealing With Themes Such As The Relationship Between Fathers And Sons And The Role Of Money In Modern Society, The Adolescent {u2013} Here Presented In A Brand-new Translation By Dora O{u2019}brien {u2013} Shows Dostoevsky At His Finest As A Social Commentator And Observer Of The Workings Of A Young Man{u2019}s Mind. Fyodor Dostoevsky ; Translated By Dora O'brien. Translated From The Russian. New Translation--cover. Translated From The Russian. Among Dostoevsky's later novels, The Adolescent occupies a very special place: published three years after The Devils and five years before his final masterpiece, The Karamazov Brothers, the novel charts the story of nineteen-year-old Arkady - the illegitimate son of the landowner Versilov and the maid Sofia Andreyevna - as he struggles to find his place in society and 2become a Rothschild3 against the background of 1870s Russia, a nation still tethered to its old systems and values but shaken up by the new ideological currents of socialism and nihilism. Both a Bildungsroman and a novel of ideas, dealing with themes such as the relationship between fathers and sons and the role of money in modern society, The Adolescent - here presented in a brand-new translation by Dora O'Brien - shows Dostoevsky at his finest as a social commentator and observer of the workings of a young man's mind. -- From publisher's website The illegitimate son of a landowner, Arkady Dolgoruky was raised by foster parents and tutors, and has scarcely ever seen his father, Versilov, and his mother, Versilov's peasant common-law wife. Arkady goes to Petersburg to meet this "accidental family" and to confront the father who dominates his imagination and whom he both disdains and longs to impress. Having sewn into his coat a document that he believes gives him power over others, Arkady proceeds with an irrepressible youthful volatility that withstands blunders and humiliations at every turn. Dostoyevsky masterfully depicts adolescence as a state of uncertainty, ignorance, and incompleteness, but also of richness and exuberance, in which everything is still possible. His tale of a youth finding his way in the disorder of Russian society in the 1870s is a high and serious comedy that borders on both farce and tragedy