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murungu's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
A harrowing portrait of moral bankruptcy, hopes trodden in the mud, and the blackest lack of family care
artemb's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ignimbrite's review
4.0
Question: how can this book have an average rating of 5.18? Isn't the scale from 1 to 5?
roxananav's review
1.0
It was my type of book, but I really didn't like it. I'm actually pretty disappointed.
jadejoosten's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sydneyedens's review
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gotta love a russian black comedy!
david_rhee's review
5.0
The Golovliov Family, also titled A Family of Noblemen, is a stunning portrait of a family estate where death reigns over life, where a family is impoverished by the pursuit of riches, and where children are given a stone instead of bread. A sinister devouring evil leaves a steady wake throughout the whole narration, and vile humor buoys the reader's attention as if Saltykov were intentionally setting him up for what turns out to be a brilliant denouement.
Many forms of evil take root in most of the characters. No one is considered remotely likable. The despotic Arina Petrovna Golovliov even emerges as an object of pity (sometimes) and the reader can catch himself rooting for her...but that only comes about because of how horrible everyone else is. Porphyry Golovliov, the aptly nicknamed "Bloodsucker," is probably the most demonic personality I have ever come across in all of literature. He possesses an unrivaled ability to sense the approaching death of someone from whom he can extract property. His mind never stops calculating potential gain of even the smallest increment. The worst of it all is that he attempts to justify everything he does with a woefully warped conception of God and providence.
The trail of destruction is so continual and pronounced that the reader all the while might suspect Saltykov is trying only to challenge himself to paint the most disgusting portrait imaginable. This is far from the truth, however. The conclusion is the reason why I ranked this novel among the best I've read. The final discovery made by Porphyry of where all his calculation, gorging, hoarding, and neglect of his brothers and sisters ultimately leads and how it is expressed by the author greatly shook me. I have mentioned to others not a few times that I consider the best literature to be parables of philosophy and divine conceptions, and though I don't remember it ever being quoted this book can serve as a masterful expression of the Lord Jesus' words,
"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" (Matthew 8:36)
Many forms of evil take root in most of the characters. No one is considered remotely likable. The despotic Arina Petrovna Golovliov even emerges as an object of pity (sometimes) and the reader can catch himself rooting for her...but that only comes about because of how horrible everyone else is. Porphyry Golovliov, the aptly nicknamed "Bloodsucker," is probably the most demonic personality I have ever come across in all of literature. He possesses an unrivaled ability to sense the approaching death of someone from whom he can extract property. His mind never stops calculating potential gain of even the smallest increment. The worst of it all is that he attempts to justify everything he does with a woefully warped conception of God and providence.
The trail of destruction is so continual and pronounced that the reader all the while might suspect Saltykov is trying only to challenge himself to paint the most disgusting portrait imaginable. This is far from the truth, however. The conclusion is the reason why I ranked this novel among the best I've read. The final discovery made by Porphyry of where all his calculation, gorging, hoarding, and neglect of his brothers and sisters ultimately leads and how it is expressed by the author greatly shook me. I have mentioned to others not a few times that I consider the best literature to be parables of philosophy and divine conceptions, and though I don't remember it ever being quoted this book can serve as a masterful expression of the Lord Jesus' words,
"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" (Matthew 8:36)
jasonfurman's review
4.0
The most bleak Russian novel I have read by a very long shot. Every character in the book dies, mostly by suicide and alcohol poisoning. In many cases these deaths are abetted or encouraged by the character's mother or father. Most of them come back to the Golovlyov estate to die, but one commits suicide by the side of the road while her sister watches and another die on the road to Siberia, where they have been de facto exiled by his father. Oh, and did I mention, all of them dislike each other, cheat each other, and are indifferent to each other's suffering. To say that betrayal runs in the family Golovlyov would be inaccurate -- the predicate of betrayal is trust.
It is also a very odd "novel." Each of the seven or so chapters features only two or three characters, not counting servants/serfs. At first you think that Anna Petrovna, the matriarch, is the main character. But then she's cheated out of the estate she cheated others out of by her son, Porphyry (also known as little Judas, bloodsucker and candid boy), and goes off to die. Then he becomes the main character for the rest of the book.
Porphyry is a very odd character. At times he seems like a hypocrite in the mold of Tartuffe, but he has none of his humor and he believes his own religious praddle, to the point where he can sincerely berate a servant he impregnated for her sin while forgetting entirely his part in it. (Oh, and if you're wondering, he sends the child off to an anonymous orphanage after he is born.) One of the more interesting discussions in the book is one where Saltykov-Shchedrin explains the differences between Porphyry and a miser/hypocrite in the tradition of Moliere.
I didn't particularly love reading this book. But after finishing it I read James Wood's excellent introduction which made me appreciate it much more -- and at least retrospectively glad I read it.
It is also a very odd "novel." Each of the seven or so chapters features only two or three characters, not counting servants/serfs. At first you think that Anna Petrovna, the matriarch, is the main character. But then she's cheated out of the estate she cheated others out of by her son, Porphyry (also known as little Judas, bloodsucker and candid boy), and goes off to die. Then he becomes the main character for the rest of the book.
Porphyry is a very odd character. At times he seems like a hypocrite in the mold of Tartuffe, but he has none of his humor and he believes his own religious praddle, to the point where he can sincerely berate a servant he impregnated for her sin while forgetting entirely his part in it. (Oh, and if you're wondering, he sends the child off to an anonymous orphanage after he is born.) One of the more interesting discussions in the book is one where Saltykov-Shchedrin explains the differences between Porphyry and a miser/hypocrite in the tradition of Moliere.
I didn't particularly love reading this book. But after finishing it I read James Wood's excellent introduction which made me appreciate it much more -- and at least retrospectively glad I read it.
lagrangian54's review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide