Buy I'm a Big Sister

I'm due in a few months, and I wanted to get a few books for my 2 year old daughter to understand what is going on and going to happen. she really loves this book and enjoys hearing it over and over again.Get more detail about I'm a Big Sister.

Purchase Wives and Daughters (The Complete Classics)

If you like Jane Austen, you will probably like "Wives and Daughters". This may be Gaskell's wittiest book. She let's her character's tell the story through their own selfish, or honest, or naiive, or manipulative actions. The beautiful and brilliant Cynthia is really the star of this tale-her self-centered mother is the machinating demon, wrekeing havoc with domestic tyrany.
A handsome, successful widower with daughter marries a pretty, winning widow with daughter, and all hell breaks loose. One of the greatest little stories ever told!Get more detail about Wives and Daughters (The Complete Classics).

Order Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

This book teaches young children how their actions affect others. When their actions are loving, they fill someone's bucket. When their actions are not, they dump someone's bucket. In our house, we ask "are you being a bucket filler or a bucket dumper?" Children then immediately realize the consequences of their actions on others. This is a must have book.Get more detail about Have You Filled a Bucket Today?.

Where To Buy Moo Baa La La La

This book lives up to the hype. We got it for our daughter when she was like 8-9 months old and she's grown to anticipate what the animals say by around 15 months old. She excitedly asks for this book. Lots of the Boynton titles are pretty good, but this one was a natural fit.Get more detail about Moo Baa La La La.

Shop For Sherlock Holmes: Complete Long Stories

Everything that is to be expected on a hardback book. Arrived in good conditions, beautiful addition to classics collections.Get more detail about Sherlock Holmes: Complete Long Stories.

Grip of the Shadow Plague (Fablehaven)

Just got through Fablehaven:Rise of the evening star yesterday and are halfway though this one. The book is thrilling, suspesful, but has a good laugh every once in a while. Go Fablehaven!Get more detail about Grip of the Shadow Plague (Fablehaven).

Anne's House of Dreams Review

For those who love Anne of Green Gables, this book is one to cherish. It is the fifth book in the series. In the books between Green Gables and House of Dreams, Anne grows up, quarrels with Gilbert, goes to school, teaches, makes up with Gilbert, and gets engaged. In House of Dreams, Anne and Gilbert finally get married and settle down with a small medical practice in a cove on Prince Edward Island. They meet an interesting old lighthouse keeper with many stories to tell, Anne makes friends with Gilbert's patients and the townspeople, and gets pregnant. This is a marvelous love story, and one of the best of the series. I have been reading and re-reading these books since I was a child. I own the whole set, some in first editions, some in reading copies for friends. If you have read Anne of Green Gables, you will definitely love this book.Get more detail about Anne's House of Dreams.

The Name of this Book Is Secret (Secret Series) Top Quality

My BFF and I both read this. W eloved how the author seemed o be talking to you and how he warned you not to read it... Great book Mr. Bosch!Get more detail about The Name of this Book Is Secret (Secret Series).

Life As We Knew It This instant

This book is poorly written. The author takes much time setting up scenarios and building characters only to have them fizzle out in the most uninteresting ways. Boring. The author gives you all this build up, and then there is this dud of a climax that leaves you thinking, "This is it?" The book is a giant bore.
I also did not appreciate the author's tone toward the former president. I mean, that in and of itself dated the book. I also did not appreciate the semi-spiritual but agnostic tone of the book. It was anti-Christian, which I do not like.
For parents: The book has no foul language. There are a few references to sex, but nothing in detail. It is anti-Christian and agnostic in its tone.Get more detail about Life As We Knew It.

The Dead Girls' Dance (Morganville Vampires) Immediately

There is no place like Morganville! Rachel Caine keeps us entertained with Dead Girls' Dance, the second book in the Morganville Series. At the end of The Glass House Frank Collins, Shane's dad, came to Morganville to get rid of the vampires. In Dead Girls' Dance he kills a vampire and many humans. Since Morganville can't find Frank they will hold Shane responsible. Frank doesn't sit around waiting for his son to pay for his sins instead he kidnaps the Mayors daughter for leverage. Claire tries to find a way to save Shane, but she only manages to get deeper involved with Morganville's head vampires. Michael decides he can no longer live trapped in The Glass House and Eve is dealing with her new job at the collage. The book was great and a really fast read. If you haven't read this series I suggest you start.

For more reviews visit: [...]Get more detail about The Dead Girls' Dance (Morganville Vampires).

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: 10th Anniversary Edition (Harry Potter) Best Quality

Thought was buying Anniversary Edition but that is not what I received. NO response from seller; book was in perfect condition just not right copy.Get more detail about Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: 10th Anniversary Edition (Harry Potter).

Gf Pcmkr Class/Up from Slavery Se C01 (Fearon/Pacemaker Classics) Get it now!

A fascinating read about the life and times of Booker T. Washington and his march from slavery to one of the foremost men of his time.

His views may seem quite antiquated in today's world, given what has happened and not happened in the last 100 years in race relations and it is easy to see how Black leaders of today might be critical of Washington's views and perspectives.

But to do so would be to make the all too common mistake of imprinting and transferring today's value system and experiences on a culture and time of long ago. Anyone can look back with 20-20 hindsight and criticize. What matters most is having a plan to move forward from where you are, and Booker T. Washington certainly had that. His is a remarkable story of courage, grace, and iron-willed determination, for himself and for his race.

While today's leaders and purists might criticize Washington, it should never be forgotten that he took the first steps and led his race and the entire South in the first steps, no matter how imperfect they may be in hindsight, up and away from slavery.

There had to be a Booker T. Washington to bridge the gap between what was and what was to be. He knew his role and peformed it well.Get more detail about Gf Pcmkr Class/Up from Slavery Se C01 (Fearon/Pacemaker Classics).

Sleeping beauty Buy Now

These books are pleasing to look at, have heavy paper with beautiful illustrations. The cloth like hardcover and illustration are much prettier in person than in the photograph.Get more detail about Sleeping beauty.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapters 01 to 05 Order Now

It's free, but that's the only advantage to this version. It's very difficult to navigate (my cursor got stuck on the table of contents) and it's in multiple parts. Skip the free one; pay a little bit and get a whole and fully navigable copy.Get more detail about Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapters 01 to 05.

The 39 Clues Book 1: The Maze Of Bones - Library Edition (39 Clues. Special Library Edition) Decide Now

My son plowed through the Percy Jackson books...and was hungry for more. I was happy to find this 39 Clues book...and he was thrilled to get it. He is a fan.Get more detail about The 39 Clues Book 1: The Maze Of Bones - Library Edition (39 Clues. Special Library Edition).

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Right now

as a child and now my kids like to read it too. This story is something kids can relate too and learn from. Fast ShippingGet more detail about Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Lowest Price Harry Potter 4 and the Goblet of Fire. Celebratory Edition

Harry Potter #4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J. K. Rowling

As Harry gets older, each book in the series gets a little darker, a little more mature. The first three books were pretty light, and even though Voldemort showed up, you were sure Harry was going to be okay. But in "The Goblet of Fire," for the first time, I had doubts for Harry's life.

"The Goblet of Fire" is a big, chunky book, but don't let the size stop you; it's a pretty quick read. There's a lot, lot, lot going on in this book, with a major event happening before Harry even gets to Hogwarts! You're likely to be sucked into the book; I usually carry it everywhere with me until I finish it. I've read this book several times now, and it's one of my favorite in the series. I love the author's mix of suspense, action, and fantasy; Rowling's magical world is some of the best fiction I've read in my life.

When Harry returns for his fourth year at Hogwarts, he's disappointed to hear that Quidditch will be cancelled for the year...because Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard tournament. The competition will be between Hogwarts and two other rival schools of magic, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, and is only open to students seventeen and older. Naturally, Harry gets picked as a champion - without putting his name up. There's someone at Hogwarts that seems determined to use the tournament to put an end to Harry's life.

The tone of "The Goblet of Fire" is much darker than the previous Harry books, but there are quite a few hilarious incidents. Dobby from "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" returns, and Draco Malfoy gets turned into a ferret. There's a crazy new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Mad-Eye Moody. And in addition to the Triwizard tournament, Harry has to deal with teenage hormones, angst, and nastier than ever classmates. Rowling perfectly captures how many teens feel when growing up, and shows that even though Harry has magic powers, he's still an ordinary teenager in many aspects.

One other thing I noticed is that British slang shows up a lot more in "The Goblet of Fire," and I personally enjoyed it. It was fun to learn different terms and words, but younger readers may need some help with these sometimes.

"The Goblet of Fire" is the first Harry book to end on a cliffhanger, and you'll likely be rushing for the next in the series, to find out what happens next. If you're reading Harry for the first time now, you're lucky that you won't have to wait a year!

5/5.Get more detail about Harry Potter 4 and the Goblet of Fire. Celebratory Edition.

Low Price The Golden Scorpion

I have always enjoyed Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu books - I have them all - but I had never read his other books before. The old-fashioned style in The Golden Scorpion can be a bit offputting until you get used to it, and the racial stereotyping is certainly jarring to modern sensibilities (and would probably be offensive for some). But if you view it as a product of the time and accept that such views were typical then, it is a very exciting story. No one writes like this anymore -- exciting, with clear-cut good and evil, fast-paced, with characters who are larger than life. Good stuff!Get more detail about The Golden Scorpion.

Discount The Giver

If you appreciate the genius of 1984 &/or A Brave New World, you will also love The Giver. This is a sentiment expressed by other reviewers that I would like to echo. An important area where I disagree with other reviewers though is that just because the main character is a child, that that makes this a book only for children. Many very adult issues are discussed in The Giver about the direction in which the world is moving. But I am very gratified that adolescents are also reading this book in school. It will help them to think about the future and what kind of world they would like to inherit.

The society described in The Giver leads "The life where nothing was ever unexpected. Or inconvenient. Or unusual. The life without color, pain, or past." (p.164) This is largely due to societies' conscious group decision, referred to as the "Sameness," to eliminate pain through constant medication (similar to A Brave New World). While everyone is assigned a job in the community, and even a family to raise them (not their natural parents) from the time they are babies. There are no longer conscious choices to be made in life. Societies' collective memories of pleasure and pain are the burden of one individual: the Giver, who then passes on collective pain and pleasure to a child, who succeeds him. Old people also no longer have any use in society and live together in group homes until society decides to "release" them, a term that loosely describes euthanasia.

The Giver is beautifully written and there are many amazing plot twists along the way. The world described by Lois Lowry seems deceptively utopian in places until shocking revelations are disclosed about the truth of the future community. The society described is also similar enough in places to the world in which we live today as to make the reader both uncomfortable and wonder about the collective choices being made in the name of social harmony. The Giver is a very important, prescient book.Get more detail about The Giver.

Cheapest Kingdom Keepers III: Disney in Shadow

This is a book that always keeps yor hanging at the end of each chapter. The story teaches you to trust your friends, even at dangerous times. It is helpful that you read the first two books before book 3. This book contains more Diseny fun.Get more detail about Kingdom Keepers III: Disney in Shadow.

Cheap Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter #2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J. K. Rowling

After a miserable summer with his despicable aunt, uncle, and cousin, Harry is more than ready to return to Hogwarts for his second year. But a mysterious creature named Dobby warns Harry not to return to school, and causes trouble for Harry, using magic and getting him an official complaint from the Ministry of Magic.

Rowling starts off the second Harry book with plenty of action, plunging Harry and Ron into trouble on their very first day back at Hogwarts; and then there's Dobby, popping up now and then, causing mayhem. I'm trying to avoid too much summary, because more than enough has been written already.

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" reveals some of the history of Hogwarts, and Voldemort's humble beginnings as a student there. If you've already read the series, you may make connections between some events in later books and events in this book, which is one reason I enjoy rereading the series at least once a year. It's fun to look for hints.

The tone of this book is a little darker as the first, as Harry and his friends try to solve the mystery of the deadly Chamber of Secrets. There are plenty of funny moments though, thanks to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, who is an amusing airhead. My one complaint with this book is that Lockhart does get a little annoying, and I wanted to slap him sometimes; but I think that was the author's aim, so I can't complain too much.

Just like the first Harry book, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is a fun, quick read. It's a wonderful return to the magical world Rowling created.

4/5.Get more detail about Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Buying Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure

This is a review of the Kindle version of this novel. The story itself is just as fun as the movie, though I could have done without the asides from the author or his long and completely fictitious prologue describing his discovery of the novel and visit to the fake museum. The kindle version of this book does not have chapter markers at all. There's only something like 7 or so chapters but it is a handy feature to have when trying to find specific parts of the story and the lack of them in this book given the previously mentioned long (and in my opinion uninteresting) prologue made it a challenge to navigate to the first chapter to begin the actual story.

To clarify the story is a 5, but this digital copy is a 4.Get more detail about Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure.

Buy Popular Tales from the Norse

My kids and I love reading these tales together. They are simple enough to appeal to my 11 year old, yet sophisticated enough to hold an adult's interest. A wonderful collection with stories that range in length from only a few paragraphs and read in a minute, to longer tales that would take more like 40 minutes. Perfect for bedtime reading!

Most "fairy tales" are terrible (Cinderella, anyone? Snow White?), and some of these are no exception. But they are wonderful stories, and I appreciate being able to offer my kids a different cultural perspective.

Just skip the intro and go straight to the stories though!

P.S. I'll try to add a list of the stories later once we finish them all!Get more detail about Popular Tales from the Norse.

Purchase Unwind

I just finished Neal Shusterman's Unwind yesterday and all I have to say is wow. It was definitely an amazing read, and it is something that I would recommend to everyone. The trials that the kids in this novel go through are heart-wrenching. You never know what exactly is in store for them.

At first, I didn't know how I felt about the book. I wasn't sure about the characters because of the portrayal of Connor. I didn't know if I could relate to him, or Risa, or Lev. They are all so different that I wasn't sure how to react to them. As the novel moves on, Shusterman does an fantastic job of making these characters relateable.

I'll start with Connor. He is flawed and that makes him a great character. He's impulsive and that is clearly seen in numerous instances throughout the novel. Connor seems to be the bad boy of the novel at first (but I won't give anything away!)

Risa seems to be just a normal girl that isn't given a chance. That is why we want to relate to her. We want her to succeed because of what the Ward does to her. She's a great character and the exact opposite of Connor, IMO. Calm, calculating, she's the counterbalance in the relationship.

Lev is a completely different story. He's a tithe. That concept really made the novel. He was the surprising character in the novel, and I eventually learned to love him. Too bad it was too late. I wanted to give him a chance just like Connor and Risa, but Lev's character was up in the air most of the time. He kept changing and that made it hard to follow him easily, but in the end, the reader will understand Lev's decisions.

The plot line of the novel was great. I am a sucker for dystopian fiction, so this book was right up my alley. I have to applaud Shusterman for his use of pro-life and pro-choice. It has been such a hot topic, I'm surprised that I haven't seen more books about it. The creation of the Heartland war and Bill of Life are fantastic starting points and created a great conflict for this young adult novel. I hope to read more from Shusterman in the future, but what I have read so far gets a big thumbs up.Get more detail about Unwind.

Order Warriors: Power of Three #6: Sunrise

I buy these books so that my grandson will learn to love to read... and he does and he also reads faster than the author can put them out.Get more detail about Warriors: Power of Three #6: Sunrise.

Where To Buy To Kill a Mockingbird

This novel is one of my all time favorites! Very rarely do I read a book more than once, however this book I read over and over and love it just as much everytime! :-) It's a must read!!!!!Get more detail about To Kill a Mockingbird.

Shop For The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

This novel is one of my 13yo daughter's set readings in her Year 8 English studies. She asked me to read it so as I could assist her in her forthcoming essays surrounding the book.

The story moves quickly and has many of the excesses and brutalities of the Holocaust either removed or simply not mentioned, and is strewn with factual inaccuracy. But while many other reviewers look upon these omissions and inaccuracies as detracting to the novel, remember this - the novel wasn't written for adults. I tried to look at the book through my daughter's eyes as I became engrossed on the story of young Bruno and his move from his lavish lifestyle in Berlin to a strange new place in the far flung reaches that he couldn't quite understand, the people he meets, both on his side of the fence and that of his new friend, Schmuel, and the shock ending that author Boyne places before us.

The novel provokes many questions, as indeed I think it is meant to - all up an excellent choice in a curriculum at that year level.Get more detail about The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

Pat the Bunny (Touch and Feel Book)

This is a great book for the infant/toddler set: both fun and educational. I was weaned on it and then had the pleasure to read it to my younger siblings, who wanted to me to read to them over and over again. Simple but enchanting.Get more detail about Pat the Bunny (Touch and Feel Book).

Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks Review

So these stories have good imagery, but they feel a bit flat; the children are all obedient and learn perfect moral lessons and/or discover the Secret of Turning Flax into Linen, which is fine if that's what you want out of a fairy tale, but I could only handle a finite number of such stories and gave up less than half-way through.

Stories included are:

The Entangled Mermaid
The Boy Who Wanted More Cheese
The Princess with Twenty Petticoats
The Cat and the Cradle
Prince Spin and Miss Snow White
The Boar with the Golden Bristles
The Ice King and his Wonderful Grandchild
The Elves and their Antics
The Kabouters and the Bells
The Woman with Three Hundred and Sixty-six Children
The Oni on his Travels
The Legend of the Wooden Shoe
The Curly-Tailed Lion
Brabo and the Giant
The Farm that Ran Away and Came Back
Santa Klaas and Black Pete
The Goblins Turned to Stone
The Mouldy Penny
The Golden Helmet
When Wheat Worked Woe
Why the Stork Loves HollandGet more detail about Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks.

Runaway (Airhead) Top Quality

My Thoughts: Cutest Series Ever!!!! I devoured all 3 books within a 2 day period! In Runaway, we get to know Em aka Nikki and her bunch of friends again! But this time, Em is on the run with a few acquaintance's trying to keep them all out of sight! Her friend/boyfriend Christopher finally knows she is really Em and that's the best part of the story! The last 2 books had me getting frustrated wanting him to realize she was Em all a long! Em still has a lot of problems to deal with though. Brandon Stark is blackmailing Em to do what he wants and stay away from Christopher. The real Nikki wants her body back. Her agent still wants Em to do all the modeling gigs and keep her image up to date! Where does that leave Em? This book is basically the book that ties everything up and together from the previous books so make sure you read them in order!!

I adored this series! I've always liked Meg Cabot but I think this may be my favorite series of hers so far! I really liked Christopher and I liked how upset he was after Em's death. Is that bad? I liked seeing him pine over her.

Runaway got a 4 cupcake rating while Airhead and Being Nikki got 5. I liked them a tad better but I still thought Runaway was a good ending point to the series.

Overall: Liked it a lot! Great series! Definitely worth checking out! Honestly, I wasn't sure I was going to like them. I'm not real into fashion books/modeling books so I was hesitate to start them. I even had them on my TBR pile about a year but finally gave in and read them. So glad I did.

Cover: It's really pretty. All the covers are really shiny and definitely appealing.Get more detail about Runaway (Airhead).

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name This instant

I received this book as a gift and find it to be so beautiful. It is written in a way that is easy and natural to read aloud and I look forward to reading it to my children! It is honest about characters' shortcomings in ways that would anticipate a child's questions as to how people who do such bad things could be part of God's story. I feel I benefit from reading the Bible stories from the perspective of seeing Christ in them, foreshadowed in them, and shaping them. A beautiful book!Get more detail about The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name.

The Moonflower Vine Immediately

I hate to be negative because overall I did not hate this book, but its no masterpiece as some reviews lead you to believe. The story is about a family in Missouri and disjointed events in their lives from about the turn of the century over the course of 40 years or so. No character is developed to any degree, you don't like or dislike any of them. The events are not spectacular in any way, in fact I found the first 250 pages a bit boring. What I did like is the authors writing style that always reminded of a sunny southern summer, even when horrible things were happening in the story. Overall not a waste of time, pleasant enough, but no masterpiece. It benefits from being relatively short (just over 300 pages), any longer and I would not be giving it 3 stars.Get more detail about The Moonflower Vine.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Best Quality

This book is simply amazing. It is the first one that I read from Oscar Wilde and I have to admit I was amazed by how good he was in choosing the right words to form sentences. Dorian Gray is an amazing character and I think that it appeals to everyone in a certain way. It is a must-read.Get more detail about The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Grimm's Fairy Stories Buy Now

Text has not been formatted for the Kindle 2. Thus, words at the end of a line get cut off and continued on the following line.Get more detail about Grimm's Fairy Stories.

Carpe Corpus (Morganville Vampires, Book 6) Decide Now

Originally posted at [...]

Power hungry vampires and humans under lockdown! What's next? You have to read Carpe Corpus to find out.

This series is action-packed, no doubt. Rachel Caine knows how to draw the reader in and hold him or her firmly in the seat. I was hooked from page one.

As the story progresses from the previous installment, Claire, the main heroine comes into her own. She wants to see her boyfriend, restore order to town, and be a normal seventeen year old. Sounds daunting? It is. But I couldn't put the book down. I liked the idea that Claire's working for the other side--with the bad guy--in order to help keep the fragile peace. For teens, she's a great role model.

But I have to admit, the secondary characters, the other inhabitants of the Glass House, really made the story come to life for me. The interplay between Amelie and her father The Bishop. I could relate to the power struggle between father and daughter. In this case, The Bishop is truly on the side of evil, but I could see how he could be interpreted as a puppet master.

Again, there is the typical young adult angst and plot twists to make this book a joy to read and made me want the next installment (and the rest of the series for that matter) right now!

If you want a great book for a summer afternoon, then you need to read Carpe Corpus. I give this novel 4 suns.
Get more detail about Carpe Corpus (Morganville Vampires, Book 6).

Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist Right now

I have a long commute so I enjoy audio books which is how I "read" this one. If you liked "Lucky Man" you'll like this. Fox offers lots of reflection and lots of stories. In my opinion he tended to be lengthy in telling about his efforts for stem cell research. Although I appreciate his personal passion, I was ready for for him to move on to different subjects.Get more detail about Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist.

Lowest Price Island of the Blue Dolphins

I remember reading this book when I was in elementary school and loving it. It's been quite a few years since I read this book...so, I wondered what I'd think after reading it as an adult.

It still is a compelling story and I will encourage my kids to read it. I was either not aware or forgot that this book was based on the imagined life of a real person. After reading this, I found the story much more interesting.

The story has been described in enough detail, so I won't go into that. I will say that if you are looking for a good read and you (or your child) enjoy books such as Gary Paulsen's "Hatchet" that deal with overcoming obstacles and survival, you will quickly adopt "Island of the Blue Dolphins" as a favorite.Get more detail about Island of the Blue Dolphins.

Low Price Crime and Punishment

Sin, Sentence, and Salvation
The allegory of Crime and Punishment

Crime and Punishment, one of the more famous works of Fyodor Dostoevsky, is considered "the first great novel of his mature period," (Frank, 1995) and is one of his more famous books, rivaled only by The Brothers Karamazov. What makes Crime and Punishment such a classic? Perhaps because it is a picture of the only classic, and greatest story of all time. Crime and Punishment is an allegory of Salvation.

Self-justified

The main character, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, was a poor student at a university, and was overcome with hate toward an old pawnbroker, and decided to rid the world of her for the greater good of everyone. He believed that she was a "louse," and since everyone would be happier without her, his actions would be justified. He believed that he had broken the letter of the law only, but that it didn't have any authority over him anyway because it was written by people just as low as himself. He didn't believe in God, and in prison he was convinced that he didn't deserve his treatment, and that it was something he simply needed to get over with. He had no higher authority, so he said "my conscience is at rest." This is a picture of man before he is touched by the merciful salvation of Christ.

A Troubled Man

Although Raskolnikov justified his actions in killing the old woman, he still felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and fear over what he did. He worked very hard at keeping it a secret, and at first he thought he could live with the guilt that sat in back of his mind, but he was wrong. Raskolnikov had horrible dreams, was always sick, and one of the other characters noticed that he was constantly "set off by little things" for no apparent reason (though the reader knew that it was only because it reminded him of his crime). This represents a man who knows in his heart that he is a sinner, but who will not turn and repent from his sin.

Unending Love

Sonya Semyonovna Marmeladov was the daughter of a drunkard who "took the yellow card" and prostituted herself to support her family. Throughout the book, Sonya began to love Raskolnikov. Eventually, Raskolnikov told Sonya his secret. Sonya was horrified, but still loved him and forgave him after her initial shock wore off. As Raskolnikov was fighting inside with his conscience and his sins, he repeatedly snapped at her, refused her comfort, yelled at her, and so on. He was a bitter, angry, hateful man--and yet Sonya forgave him for everything he did to her, and everything he had done in his past. What redeeming quality Sonya saw in the wretch and why she forgave him, one cannot begin to comprehend; aside from the simple truth that Sonya was a loving, gentile, merciful girl. She saw that Raskolnikov needed someone to love him and she reached out to him, even when he repeatedly pushed her away. Sonya's love for him is a picture of Christ's unending and perfect love to His sinful people.

A Silent Witness

When Raskolnikov finally broke down and confessed his crime, Sonya moved to Siberia with him. Raskolnikov expected this, and knew that telling her not to come would be fruitless. She visited him often in prison and wrote to his family for him. But although Raskolnikov expected her to preach to him and push the Gospel in his face, she did not. Sonya followed the scripture's instruction to Christian wives with non-Christian husbands in 1 Peter 3:1--" Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives..." The verse tells women to be good examples of Christ to their non-Christian husbands rather than to preach to them and try to convert them, and that is exactly what Sonya did, even though she was not married to him. She did not try to convert him with words; rather she won him with her love. She did not push the Testament into Raskolnikov's hands, he asked for it. When she did bring it, she did not pester him to read it. She had faith, and showed Raskolnikov the love of Christ through her actions. In the end, it paid off. Although Dostoevsky does not specifically say that Raskolnikov was converted, he does imply that he eventually became a Christian when he mused "Can not her own convictions now be mine?"

The truth will set you free

When Raskolnikov finally realized that he loved Sonya, he accepted that he was a criminal, and a murderer. When he finally accepted that he was a sinner, he repented and had a new life in him. He said he felt like "he had risen again" and that Sonya "lived only in his life." By life, Dostoevsky refers to his mentality. Before, he had been a living dead man in prison. He was hated by his inmates, was almost killed by them in an outbreak, was unaffected by anything that happened to him or his family, and eventually became ill from it all. But after his resurrection, he repented from his sins, learned to move on with his life, and started to change. He began to converse with his inmates, and they no longer hated him. Sonya was alive in his "life" because of her love for him. When he was changed, she was so happy that she became sick with joy, to the point that she was ill in bed. Dostoevsky paints a picture of a redeemed man at the end of his novel--redeemed both by the law, and by God. This picture symbolizes the miracle of salvation through Christ.

An amazing Allegory

Dostoevsky was a wonderful writer because of his use of dialogue to tell the story, his descriptive scenes, his powerfully developed characters, and their inner dialogue. He often times told you that something was happening by only telling you what the character who was speaking at the time said in response to what was going on. For example, if Sonya was standing up, Dostoevsky would write "... `hey, what do you stand for?' for Sonya had stood."

He also painted such good descriptions of his characters, that by the middle of the book he didn't have to say that Raskolnikov was musing in the corner of the room, glaring at anyone who was brave enough to look at him, while he stewed in grief under his old ratted cap, because you knew from how well he was described earlier and how well his character was developed from the dialogue, that he was doing exactly that.

His characters are so real, they almost frighten you because you see the things they do and feel and experience reflected in your own life. They are not perfect--in fact they are all incredibly flawed, but they are a joy to read.

His ending is superb, because he closes the story without actually telling you everything. He never says that Raskolnikov was converted, he never says when he got out of prison, and he never says that Sonya and he were married, but you know that it happened. The last scene of the story is so superb, it makes you want to read it again, just to experience the joy all over again.

But what really made Crime and Punishment the classic that it was is the picture of the best story in the world, the classic story of the world, showing through. The story of the Gospel, of Jesus Christ's unending love and sin and salvation is clearly portrayed, and makes a joyous read.

Works cited:

Quotes are from Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1886

Frank, Joseph (1995). Dostoevsky: The Miraculous Years, 1865-1871. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-01587-2. (source found and taken from [...])

1 Peter 3:1 New International Version of The Holy Bible

Audio review: I had a hard time reading the book, simply because it was so huge that it was intimidating. I bought (ouch) the audio book of Crime and Punishment, recorded by Anthony Heald who did a fantastic job reading. His voices for the characters perfectly matched them, he felt for them, and he acted them. None of them were cheesy (yeah you all know how lame some male readers are at acting female voices). He read fast enough that the story didn't drag at all, but not so fast that you'd feel like you'd miss something if you didn't listen hard. I will definitely re-listen to the audio book.

Content: some gruesome descriptions of blood from the murder

Recommendation: Ages 14+Get more detail about Crime and Punishment.

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