Written by Leo Tolstoy and originally published in 1889, this novella follows the narrator who meets the main character of interest on the train, a man by the name of Pozdnyshev. In the beginning of the book, the narrator listens in on the discussion aboard the train, where different people with vastly different beliefs and experiences discuss and debate their opinions and contemporaneous events, including a story of a man who killed his wife. They spoke, oblivious to the fact that the man himself was also a passenger on that train and was observing the scene. 

I found the structure of the novella fascinating. It reminded me of reading the ending of a story first, so one is primarily focused on the progression towards the end, on the journey itself, rather than on the conclusion. It is certainly an interesting experience to see only the perspective of the madman, in his own narrative, telling his own story of his descent into madness, but spoken in a way that rather tries to rationalize all the actions, not even needing to defend himself much because, in his mind, his behaviors are a given to his provocation. This perspective into the emotions and opinions of a man capable of killing his wife, the mother of his children, and what parts of nature and nurture impacted someone to be capable of committing such a heinous act is insightful. Additionally, this book sheds a specific light on several aspects of society that remain to this day, despite the fact that the era and the geographical location of this book may be vastly different from one’s own life. To see what aspects of society and of his life Pozdnyshev believes led him to his situation can allow people across times and cultures to reflect about their own lives and the world around them.

This book is not a book to take as a moral direction or a moral instruction manual – especially since the epilogue indicates several moral and intellectual disagreements between Tolstoy and his character – but rather as a book to challenge one’s beliefs. This is not a book where one is meant to agree and cheer for Pozdnyshev. This book has a phenomenal ability to elicit agreement with one statement or even half of it, while vehemently denouncing the other. I’ve heard many people say that one should not read Tolstoy, and especially this novella, until after they are married because he may scare them away from marriage. I must disagree with that. If one’s beliefs are so easily rattled by another individual’s opinions, then perhaps those beliefs were not theirs to begin with. With regard to the point of warding people against marriage, in my opinion, it warns people about a type of bad individual to whom marriage would be detrimental to one’s own being. As an unmarried young woman, I myself have not been dissuaded from marriage. Additionally, I must insist that an individual who reads this novella also take care in reading the epilogue Tolstoy wrote, in which he discusses his own opinions directly. Finally, it is essential to note that this book addresses many more sensitive topics and expresses beliefs that may often be considered offensive and outdated. However, this is a very interesting read, and I recommend this novella.