The blurb on the back cover proclaims Crime and Punishment to be one of the most readable books in literature, gripping, exciting blah blah blah.

The main character is Raskolnikov, an anti-social, penniless student in St. Petersburg. He commits a double murder, killing an old pawnbroker and her sister. By an amazing stroke of luck he escapes detection. The rest of the novel has him coming to terms with the deed, seeking redemption, and evading justice.

Rasky's motive for the crime is fascinating. He killed on a theory- that people are divided into two groups, the great and mere lice. For the great, the law does not hold, like Napoleon, who kills and kills and sends his people on a deadly holiday to Russia, but is revered and respected ;while some poor soul is sent to Siberia or has his hands chopped off for stealing a purse. Rasky believes that he is one of the great, to prove that, he has to kill people with axes.

Throughout the novel, we are locked into Rasky's frenzied subconscious, as he plans the murder and commits it. An atmosphere of paranoia permeates as we wonder if Rasky gets sent to Siberia, blow his brains out or clean gets away.

The interrogation scene between Rasky and Porfiry the detective is masterful. The reader is kept speculating- does Porfiry suspect? Does he know? Is he playing psychological games with poor Rasky or really believe in his innocence? Will Rasky's frayed nerves hold out to the end?

As Rasky gets closer to the edge of sanity, one even starts doubting whether he did murder the old lady at all- after all, he's delirious and imagining things.

A most remarkable book indeed.