What Is to Be Done?
What Is to Be Done?
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1989
Book Brief
Beta445
Novel • Fiction
Saint Petersburg, Russia • 1860s
1989
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
What Is to Be Done? by Nikolai Chernyshevsky follows Vera Pavlovna's journey to personal and social liberation. Centered on themes of gender equality, self-discovery, and utopian ideals, the novel portrays Vera establishing a cooperative sewing workshop and navigating relationships, reflecting the transformative socio-political visions of 19th-century Russian society.
Informative
Inspirational
Challenging
Romantic
Emotional
Reviews & Readership
3,152 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
What Is to Be Done? by Nikolai Chernyshevsky receives mixed reviews. Positively, it is praised for its influential impact on Russian revolutionary thought and its utopian social vision. However, critics often find its narrative style didactic and the characters overly idealized. Despite this, the novel remains significant for its historical and ideological contributions.
Who Should Read What Is to Be Done??
A reader who enjoys What Is to Be Done? by Nikolai Chernyshevsky is likely interested in Russian literature, revolutionary politics, and philosophical discourse, akin to readers of Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground or Tolstoy's War and Peace. They appreciate ideological explorations and radical utopian visions.
3,152 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
445
Novel • Fiction
Saint Petersburg, Russia • 1860s
1989
Adult
18+ years
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