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Fyodor Dostoevsky

The Gambler

Fyodor DostoevskyFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1866

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Book Brief

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Fyodor Dostoevsky

The Gambler

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1866
Book Details
Pages

188

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Roulettenburg, Germany • 1860s

Publication Year

1866

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

In Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel The Gambler, Alexey Ivanovich returns to Roulettenburg, working as a tutor for a Russian aristocratic family. Alexey falls for Polina, the general’s stepdaughter, but his love is thwarted by his lack of wealth and the ruinous gambling of the general’s aunt. Attempts to win Polina over with gambling gains fail as she leaves for Mr. Astley, while Alexey descends into gambling addiction. The novel depicts addiction to gambling.

Mysterious

Unnerving

Dark

Bittersweet

Melancholic

Reviews & Readership

4.1

99,257 ratings

70%

Loved it

25%

Mixed feelings

5%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky is widely acclaimed for its incisive exploration of addiction and human psychology. Reviewers praise the compelling characterization and intense narrative. Criticisms often focus on the uneven pacing and dense prose. Despite these flaws, the novel remains a powerful study of human failures and obsessions.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Gambler?

A reader who would enjoy The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky is likely intrigued by psychological drama, character studies, and the themes of obsession and self-destruction. Fans of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment or Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina may find this novel similarly compelling for its intense exploration of the human condition.

4.1

99,257 ratings

70%

Loved it

25%

Mixed feelings

5%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

188

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Roulettenburg, Germany • 1860s

Publication Year

1866

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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