Author: Mikhail Bulgakov
Plot:
Moscow, early 20th century. Professor Woland has dropped by the bustling city with his 'associates' to cause trouble. A professor causing trouble you say? Well, maybe some professors do make trouble, but Professor Woland causes real trouble.
You see, Professor Woland is the Devil. Satan himself has come to Moscow to, well, change some things. He is accompanied by his assistants, including an evil* giant talking cat named Behemoth. In the process of Satan's vacation a man is killed, a poet is driven to the insane asylum (a not-so-subtle commentary about art under the USSR), and a woman flies naked along with her maid to rejoin her lover, but not before she plays hostess at a very unusual ball...
You see, Professor Woland is the Devil. Satan himself has come to Moscow to, well, change some things. He is accompanied by his assistants, including an evil* giant talking cat named Behemoth. In the process of Satan's vacation a man is killed, a poet is driven to the insane asylum (a not-so-subtle commentary about art under the USSR), and a woman flies naked along with her maid to rejoin her lover, but not before she plays hostess at a very unusual ball...
*no, not a single one of Woland's associates are nice, at least not in the conventional sense
Brian's Opinion:
When I asked a friend from Lithuania for a good book to read that an American commonly wouldn't come across, she suggested The Master and Margarita. To my understanding, this book ranks among Russian and Eastern Europe literature as 1984 by Orwell and Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck do in English literature. That is to say, extremely highly. Plus, the fact that the full version had been banned in the USSR until 1973 caught my attention. So piqued, I read an English translation and found myself startled by the uniqueness of the plot. I admit that I did not understand all of the satire and complex metaphors present, but a USSR buff probably would. If The Master and Margarita is representative of what good Russian literature is like, then I'll be keeping my ears open for other good books from this genre.
Who would like it:
If you liked the complexity of classic English literature books but want to try a book outside the English literature canon, then this is a great novel to try. As a plus, those seeking a satire regarding the fledgling USSR will find it here. Finally, one who enjoys plots with tinges of the fantastic unique story lines will likely appreciate The Master and Margarita.
Buy:
Amazon Paperback (Translated by Diana Burgin and Katherine Tiernan O'Conner)- Brian
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