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A review by tumblyhome_caroline
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
5.0
Ohhhh my goodness I loved this book, it is bloomin’ FANTASTIC . It is now right up there in my favourite books ever. Highly recommended!
I have always been put off reading it because the blurb at the back didn’t inspire me.... (Satan and a walking, talking cat visit Moscow during the worst days of Stalin reign).. but that really does not even begin to describe the surreal satire in this book.
It is a brilliant love/horror/Dali-esque story but has many themes that could take a whole lot of rereads to get to grips with. The themes of courage and cowardice being central with cowardice described as the greatest sin of all. An idea I came to understand as I read the book.
Courage is personified in Margarita who, without fear, selflessly gives her very soul for what she believes. Margarita has to be one of the greatest women in all literature. She has the best role in the book!
Also important is the ambiguity of good vs evil. Satan in the novel feeds evil and wickedness back to citizens who do bad things. He is a mirror really. Light is only truly understood because shadow exists.
While the book is definitely not an adult Harry Potter, I can see how much JK Rowling was influenced by it ( for example, the idea about living chess pieces was directly taken from Bulgakov).
Also, Eyes Wide Shut (a Kubrick film I like because of the play between reality and make believe), has imagery that must have come from Satans Ball in Master and Margarita.
Not saying that is at all bad, we are all influenced by what we read, watch, experience etc. Certainly Bulgakov was indebted to Faust here.
I would only say, if you read it, it is good to look a little bit into the history of Stalins time in power to understand a bit more about what Bulgakov is saying. Oh and watch The Death of Stalin (2017) maybe (hilarious but shocking film).
I have always been put off reading it because the blurb at the back didn’t inspire me.... (Satan and a walking, talking cat visit Moscow during the worst days of Stalin reign).. but that really does not even begin to describe the surreal satire in this book.
It is a brilliant love/horror/Dali-esque story but has many themes that could take a whole lot of rereads to get to grips with. The themes of courage and cowardice being central with cowardice described as the greatest sin of all. An idea I came to understand as I read the book.
Courage is personified in Margarita who, without fear, selflessly gives her very soul for what she believes. Margarita has to be one of the greatest women in all literature. She has the best role in the book!
Also important is the ambiguity of good vs evil. Satan in the novel feeds evil and wickedness back to citizens who do bad things. He is a mirror really. Light is only truly understood because shadow exists.
While the book is definitely not an adult Harry Potter, I can see how much JK Rowling was influenced by it ( for example, the idea about living chess pieces was directly taken from Bulgakov).
Also, Eyes Wide Shut (a Kubrick film I like because of the play between reality and make believe), has imagery that must have come from Satans Ball in Master and Margarita.
Not saying that is at all bad, we are all influenced by what we read, watch, experience etc. Certainly Bulgakov was indebted to Faust here.
I would only say, if you read it, it is good to look a little bit into the history of Stalins time in power to understand a bit more about what Bulgakov is saying. Oh and watch The Death of Stalin (2017) maybe (hilarious but shocking film).