Crime and Punishment

Many people consider this title to be the greatest novel ever written. This full-cast dramatization by BBC Radio superbly captures the intensity that is so crucial to the story of Rodion Raskolnikov and the psychological torment he endures following his murder of a money lender and her sister. The adaptation works well on audio because the characters and their voices are clear and well defined. In addition, the performance is true to the novel and easy to follow. While George Guidall's unabridged reading remains the gold standard, listeners who prefer shorter production will find this recording is a solid substitute. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

March 1, 1993
An acclaimed new translation of the classic Russian novel.

Dostoyevsky's relentlessly bleak story about poverty and hopelessness in pre-Revolutionary Russia is boiled down to its essence. Alex Jennings is brilliant as Raskolnikov, a man unfortunate enough to have a conscience. Driven by poverty, greed, and a touch of madness, Raskolnikov murders two women for their money and spends the rest of the book trying to live with his crime. Jennings gamely works through the difficult Russian names, making them sound as common as Smith and Jones, while adding just the right amount of pathos and leaden tone to the voices of his characters. The famous novel goes a long way to helping listeners understand the root causes of the Russian Revolution. M.S. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine