Hardcover

English language

Published Feb. 9, 2016 by Penguin Books.

ISBN:
9780143108276
OCLC Number:
910412975

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (62 reviews)

A 50th-anniversary Deluxe Edition of the incomparable 20th-century masterpiece of satire and fantasy, in a newly revised version of the acclaimed Pevear and Volokhonsky translation

Nothing in the whole of literature compares with The Master and Margarita. One spring afternoon, the Devil, trailing fire and chaos in his wake, weaves himself out of the shadows and into Moscow. Mikhail Bulgakov’s fantastical, funny, and devastating satire of Soviet life combines two distinct yet interwoven parts, one set in contemporary Moscow, the other in ancient Jerusalem, each brimming with historical, imaginary, frightful, and wonderful characters. Written during the darkest days of Stalin’s reign, and finally published in 1966 and 1967, The Master and Margarita became a literary phenomenon, signaling artistic and spiritual freedom for Russians everywhere.

This newly revised translation, by the award-winning team of Pevear and Volokhonsky, is made from the complete and unabridged Russian text.

For more than seventy years, …

130 editions

Satiirista kohellusta ja noitajuttuja

3 stars

Oikein vetävästi ja hilpeästi alkava kirja, joka kuitenkin pian rupeaa käymään hiukan puuduttavaksi. Joka tapauksessa kirja on sen verran kuuluisa, etten oikein tiedä, mitä odotin, mutta tapahtumat ja tyyli olivat lopulta jotain sellaista, mitä en ainakaan osannut odottaa. Saatana apureineen saa moskovalaiset lähinnä hölmöilemään itsekseen ja tekemään toisilleen pikkumaisia jäyniä ja kostoja, ei ryhtymään mihinkään todelliseen pahuuteen. Kiinnostavana lisänä tässä painoksessa on kursiivilla merkitty kohdat, joita Neuvostoliitossa julkaistussa painoksessa ei ole ollut, ja siitä voi yrittää miettiä, millaisia detaljeja siellä on sensuroitu. Jostain syystä esimerkiksi hymyily niin, että hampaat näkyvät, on päätynyt säännönmukaisesti sensuurin kouriin.

Review of 'The Master and Margarita' on 'GoodReads'

No rating

I'm not going to give a rating on this one because I didn't make it to the end before giving up. About 3/4 of the way through, I see no reason to finish.

This may be a Russian masterpiece, I just cannot tell. I cannot make sense of the English translation and it feels like I'm just reading disjoint words rather than sentenses, let alone a story. All of the supposed humour and satire is lost on me, and I seriously fail to see how non-russian speakers are rating this translation so high.

Review of 'Мастер и Маргарита' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

When I first read The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov back in 2012 I had no idea how to review it. Now that I have re-read the book, I am still at a loss. The Master and Margarita is often considered as one of the best novels of the 20th century by critics and cited as the top example of Soviet satire. Like most of Mikhail Bulgakov’s bibliography, this author never saw the effect that this novel had on the world; it was written between 1928 and 1940 but was first published in 1967, long after his death.

One of the things I love about Russian literature is the social commentary and satirical nature found in a lot of their books. During the Soviet era there was a lot written about the political state of the country but these were often heavily censored before publication. There was a distribution …

Review of 'The Master and Margarita' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This book was better than I expected. Although I wouldn't call it a favorite, I can see why some people really like it. By itself, it's a good fantastical tale set in more modern times (compared to say, medieval Europe). It's a bit over the top at times, but still enjoyable.

A full review is up in my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-review-master-and-margarita-by.html

Review of 'The Master and Margarita' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Excellent read - well-constructed, engaging, and unpredictable. The many Russian names could be a bit confusing to track as are some of the elements of 1950's culture that are satirized, but it is still relevant - universal in its themes. First book I've really loved in quite a while.

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