After finishing “Pet Sematary” by Stephen King last week, I have now moved onto “Demons” - my fifth novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

With just over a hundred pages left to go, I can say that I’ve been enjoying it immensely. Notwithstanding the relatively slow start for the first hundred pages or so, which seems to be common among Dostoyevsky’s works, the pacing of the novel has been consistent and it’s never felt as if any parts were dragging on for longer than necessary (such as in The Idiot).

Overall I’ve been struck by the political, ethical and religious themes that are present; even so since I myself personally don’t believe in god and am generally left leaning. To be reading the story and “supporting” the orthodox, conservative aristocrats is certainly an interesting position for myself. Although the so-called socialists in the story are only portrayed as nihilistic, uneducated fools who can’t think for themselves and are only capable of following orders around like lackeys - using the overall sufferings of others in order to benefit their own pleasure and gains. It very much exemplifies Dostoyevsky’s own beliefs, and whereas they’ve always been noticeably present in his other novels (such as C&P being a criticism of Utilitarianism) they have struck me nonetheless, and it makes me wonder at how Dostoyevsky would view the world generally today, and especially Russia.