The Insulted and Injured

[Suvorov]

I just finished 'The Insulted and the Injured', one of Dostoevsky's lesser known works from the early 1860s (prior to 'Notes from the Underground' so it is really just before what I would classify as his mature period). My translation was Constance Garnett but the edition was awful: there were about 4 spelling/grammatical errors per page.

I wondered if anyone else had read this particular piece and what they thought of it.

I do not think it was one of his better pieces - sentimentality is used rather too much and without any real subtly. The characters are only interesting from the perspective of his later works - Prince Valkovsky is an earlier manifestation of Svidrigailov and Prince Alyosha bares a certain resemblance to Myshkin. Otherwise, they really do lack depth - they only possess odd hints of the greater depths to which Dostoevsky would take his future characters.  

The story too lacked any real direction which is perhaps why the conclusion was rather bland.

[lerik]

I agree with you that characters personalities' lack in depth but its interestintg to see how simmilar characters developed in Dostoevsky's other works.My favorite character in this novel is Nelly

[tzar]

... I do not think it ('the insulted and injured') was one of his better pieces - sentimentality is used rather too much and without any real subtly...

agreed.