The Master and Margarita

Mikhail Bulgakov

May 2024

Introduction

The summary via amazon listing:

"When the devil arrives in 1930s Moscow, consorting with a retinue of odd associates—including a talking black cat, an assassin, and a beautiful naked witch—his antics wreak havoc among the literary elite of the world capital of atheism. Meanwhile, the Master, author of an unpublished novel about Jesus and Pontius Pilate, languishes in despair in a pyschiatric hospital, while his devoted lover, Margarita, decides to sell her soul to save him. As Bulgakov’s dazzlingly exuberant narrative weaves back and forth between Moscow and ancient Jerusalem, studded with scenes ranging from a giddy Satanic ball to the murder of Judas in Gethsemane, Margarita’s enduring love for the Master joins the strands of plot across space and time."

It definitely sounds interesting, mixing fantasy and magic with realism and history!

My Thoughts

Unfortunately I was very busy this month and didn't get to finish, but I really enjoyed the 10 chapters that I read! I loved the fantastical elements and dark humor, it was weird in a way that I love~

What made it hard to get through though was all the different characters and names it introduced, it was hard for me to keep track of everyone, especially when some names were long and hard to pronounce. I also didn't like that each chapter changed perspective, I usually prefer stories told from only one or two characters' perspectives.

But again, I liked what I read so far and I'm still really interested in finishing this book! If I get a chance to finish it, I'll edit this space with my full thoughts~