It peeves me that I already know that Raskolnikov is going to commit a murder. It really peeves me. I am in the fifth chapter of the book, and it hasn't happened yet, and yet somehow everyone thought it was a top idea to tell me what happens before I'd even started. On the back of my book it says-Crime and Punishment tells how Raskolnikov, a former student, murders an old woman..
Shut up! Shut up, shut up!
When I bought my copy, the lady at the desk started talking about it, and was saying "and after he murders the woman blah, blah, blah..". I said "Shh, don't tell me!", and she waved her hand dismissively and said, "Oh, it practically happens on the first page".
Look here, lady. Since when is chapter five the first page? And you look here too, fancy blurb writer. DON'T TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS!!
It's like writing on the back of The Sixth Sense, "Dr. Malcom Crowe (Bruce Willis) plays a child psychologist, and by the way, he is actually dead, and is a ghost."Shut up!
This book has existed 140 years. I have been alive for 30 years. All this time, the knowledge that Raskolnikov kills someone has been floating around in the ether. By chance, good fortune and meticulous care, I have managed to not learn this information. And then the day comes when I decide to read the book, and the person selling it to me tells me what happens. the blurb tells me what happens. After 30 years of blissful unawareness.
Is this not a crime? Does this not deserve punishment?
"Practically happens on the first page". I never.
8 comments:
Bruce Willis is a ghost in that movie?!? Dang it, now it's ruined for me :)
I agree! Maybe I'm just especially thick when it comes to these things(which is likely), but from reading the first theree chapters, I didn't think it was obvious he was going to commit a murder. I was thinking, "what a strange man...why is he pawning things? how odd!"
Chapters 4-6 are very exciting though, don't you think?
Sorry Sam.. I have become what I most despise. The shame!
Soph, yeah I agree it has not been obvious that that is what is going to happen.
Bit behind with my reading and am just starting ch 5-- but yeah, I though ch 4 was awesome. Lot's to talk about on monday.
I'm totally with you! Thankfully I don't have a copy of the book (no annoying blurb to ruin everything), but I read Soph's blog where she also quoted her blurb, and then in spoilt it for me!
Although the murder was foreshadowed in one of the earlier chapters, when he went to Alonya's and decided not to kill her there and then.
I'm hooked - and I'm away next week, so i'm reading ahead (not sure if this is allowed!)
Just want to clarify, I have nothing against Soph R and you posting about the murders on your blogs... (I could've looked away and not read it!)
Hi Soph- More of this crazy reading ahead business... I'm struggling to keep up with the normal reading. Mental note- if you start a book group, be sure that you can actually read more then a page in one sitting.
Oh yeah, the murder is definately foreshadowed, but whether he actually did it or not should have still been a mystery.
Someone told me about the Sixth Sense before I saw it. Bummer. Good thing for him/her I can't remember who it was.
Exciting revelation - while we may feel reading a book over 12 weeks is slow, it turns out that the novel was originally published in the literary journal The Russian Messenger in twelve monthly installments in 1866! So we've done the right thing dividing it by 12. And by 17th Century standards, we're steaming ahead!
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