Yes, mine has a bunch of footnotes and I am so glad they are there! I never realized how little I know about Russia..
I'm finding the book a little slow starting (around page 140 now) but it's starting to get better now. I'm a little ashamed to admit that I eagerly await Woland's next victim and try to guess who/how his evil will express itself.
I'm not religious but I'm also enjoying the backstory in Jerusalem.
I don't have any chapter notes in my addition, so I am left guessing on the places and names.
I'm also finding it slow starting and have gotten a little lost with all the people "affected" by the visitor. I'm only on page 86 so far and slogging through.
M, I scanned and uploaded all of the chapter notes so you can access them. Just sign in to this blog like normal, then go to Google, Google Documents, and they should show up for you. I also shared them to J and B.
I finished reading the book today. My copy does have the notes in the back. I did not read them until I finished the book. The notes were very informative and interesting to read in themselves.
I found the chapter where Margarita and Natasha take flight fun/amusing. And Satan's ball was an imaginative part to read.
I suppose it would be helpful to know the story of Faust and some of the other writings that the author uses in the story.
Woland and his cohorts were certainly what you would call "full of the devil". Their escapades were funny to read. Such pranksters, especially the cat.
I can see why this would be considered a "timeless novel". And to think it was 26 years before it was allowed to be printed.
I believe I am supposed to make the next pick. I have chosen "Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult. If this is ok or if I need to choose something else please let me know.
I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads, and I really liked it, but I feel like I wasn't really able to fully appreciate it, even with the footnotes. I think it would have been wonderful to read in conjunction with a Russian or European history class.
Throughout most of the book I found myself wishing I could read the full text of the Master's Pontius Pilate book.
The nagging question I have at the end of the book is this: Did Woland orchestrate all of the events just to get Margarita to the ball or, did he let Behemoth and Koroviev run wild in Moscow once the Master was institutionalized? I enjoyed the concept that when Hell goes on vacation, shenanigans increase. I guess I always thought that if the Devil took a break there would be less evil - but the longer I sit here thinking it over, the more logic I see in Bulgakov's premise.
My favorite part of the book was Azazello the assassin trying to convince Margarita to take the body cream.
Also I really enjoyed Messalina showing up at the ball since I learned who she was from Love in the Time of Cholera. I LOVE when books collide in my world like that.
One last general comment, do we consider Margarita to be a devil worshiper? I get that she was an adulteress, but in many other ways she was very generous and compassionate (with her maid, with the Master, with Frieda). I struggle with the idea that if you treat the Devil well, he'll be good to you too. I wonder if they will grow to resent their eternity in "peace" but not in "light."
I guess being a geometry teacher I got hung up on chapter 1 – that there are 5 proofs of God’s existence and that there were two (?) more. I took the whole book as being a “proof of God’s existence” by way of proving the devil existed. And it was surely proven.
I recognized very quickly how very little I know about Russia, history AND geography.
Also, my book at the beginning, had as a footnote, some themes that were dominant in Bulgakov’s works. One being colors and being color happy, I decided to note them. BLACK was very dominant (go figure), black cat, one eye black/one eye green, black glasses, black sneakers, black shoes, black gloves, black magic, black serpent, black underwear, black silk dress, black skirt, black bag, black poodle, black rook, black kerchief, etc. etc. I actually got tired of keeping track of black. RED was mostly people with red hair. I really wish this book was available for the kindle. I would have really liked the search capability with this book.
And many many references to Faust, I know NOTHING about him.
I also found myself thinking about Harry Potter in the Margarita section, with the witches broom, the flying car, chess pieces, fireplaces, and I really like the globe with the news on it. THAT was COOL!
I liked Chapter 4 – the chase especially with the woman in the tub.
And chapter 5 – not many people were waiting in line, just 150!
And enjoyed Chapter 8 with the cylinder at the bottom of Ivan’s bed that turned with instructions on it. The “DRINK” part made me think of Alice In Wonderland when she ate the pill that made her big.
And because of this book, I had to look up Newton’s Binomial Theroem (from chapter 18). So it was educational mathematically speaking …..
Also, my copy had a biography of Bulgakov at the end, which was very interesting. He wrote this book just before dying and had only edited the first part. He died before editing the Margarita section.
Oh a question that got me thinking was from Chapter 29, probably because I sat reading early evening on the porch watching the cars go by and watching the shadows. The question was "What would the earth look like if all the shadows disappeared? So maybe it wasn't the porch but the wine....
I think Behemoth and Koroviev just ran wild. All of those things weren't necessary to get Margarita to the ball, she was in love with the master and unhappy in her life and was "ready" for the pickings.
I don't think Margarita is a devil worshipper. She made a "deal with the devil" to get what she wanted.
J, I wish I had taken note of the colors! I read most of the introduction in my book, but it didn't mention the colors (that I recall) Also, I wish that the intro would have just said "maybe you should read Faust before you start The M and M."
I had trouble keeping all the names straight too. Was it just me, or did a lot of the characters have two (or more) names? The authors had pseudonyms but even the theatre workers? Possibly a commentary on how careful everyone had to be to avoid the secret police?
Also, agree that my Russian history is seriously lacking. I had no idea that dealing in foreign currency was a felony.
What makes me think this book is going to be a classic is that it's a good story on the surface - but it's a great historical commentary underneath. So many, many levels of symbolism to dig through.
Finished, finally! I thought the end was rather long and drawn out, but then, honestly, I thought most of the book was. I think that maybe I am not sophisticated enough to catch the hidden meanings (even with A's endnotes) and therefore missed a lot. Possibly I would have liked the book better had I caught all the intricacies.
I agree with B that I enjoyed the parts where Margarita gets the cream (I need some of that cream!), takes flight (especially the conversation between Natasha and the pig), and the ball. I was a little disappointed to find out in the endnotes that the backstories of the attendees weren't all accurate.
Like A, I am a little torn about Margarita. We are brought up to associate evil with the devil, and certainly this book did little to dismiss that, but I don't think Margarita was evil. She seemed strong-willed and stubborn, but also compassionate and loving. This certainly is food for thought, especially A's last question about resenting living in peace, but out of the light.
Other things that struck me: The end of Chapter 3 and Berlioz's death. How violent and, yet, almost humorous. And then in Chapter 5, the group around his body in the morgue that were trying to decide whether to put his head back on his body or allow the body to be viewed with a black cloth where the head should have been. Since the head was stolen, I guess the second was ultimately the case.
From chapter 7: Is "the worst misfortune in the world was to lose one's reason"? If you lost your reason would you know you lost it and if you didn't, would it matter?
From chapter 17: [unprintable] :-)
Here is a pet peeve, when the author breaks from the narrative and talks to me as a reader. It completely disrupts my involvement in the story (Chapter 19: "Follow me, reader! Who told you...")
The backstory on Pontius Pilate did make me want to reread the Bible, just to compare. I didn't though, did anyone else?
15 comments:
My copy has "chapter notes" at the end, does anyone else's? I'm finding these very beneficial in explaining Russian names and places.
Also loved Chapter 4 - the chase!
Yes, mine has a bunch of footnotes and I am so glad they are there! I never realized how little I know about Russia..
I'm finding the book a little slow starting (around page 140 now) but it's starting to get better now. I'm a little ashamed to admit that I eagerly await Woland's next victim and try to guess who/how his evil will express itself.
I'm not religious but I'm also enjoying the backstory in Jerusalem.
"Satan's Grand Ball" oh my.
I don't have any chapter notes in my addition, so I am left guessing on the places and names.
I'm also finding it slow starting and have gotten a little lost with all the people "affected" by the visitor. I'm only on page 86 so far and slogging through.
It is certainly a strange book...
M, I scanned and uploaded all of the chapter notes so you can access them. Just sign in to this blog like normal, then go to Google, Google Documents, and they should show up for you. I also shared them to J and B.
Thanks, A. I've printed them all out and they've been very helpful.
I finished reading the book today. My copy does have the notes in the back. I did not read them until I finished the book. The notes were very informative and interesting to read in themselves.
I found the chapter where Margarita and Natasha take flight fun/amusing. And Satan's ball was an imaginative part to read.
I suppose it would be helpful to know the story of Faust and some of the other writings that the author uses in the story.
Woland and his cohorts were certainly what you would call "full of the devil". Their escapades were funny to read. Such pranksters, especially the cat.
I can see why this would be considered a "timeless novel". And to think it was 26 years before it was allowed to be printed.
I believe I am supposed to make the next pick. I have chosen "Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult. If this is ok or if I need to choose something else please let me know.
I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads, and I really liked it, but I feel like I wasn't really able to fully appreciate it, even with the footnotes. I think it would have been wonderful to read in conjunction with a Russian or European history class.
Throughout most of the book I found myself wishing I could read the full text of the Master's Pontius Pilate book.
The nagging question I have at the end of the book is this:
Did Woland orchestrate all of the events just to get Margarita to the ball or, did he let Behemoth and Koroviev run wild in Moscow once the Master was institutionalized?
I enjoyed the concept that when Hell goes on vacation, shenanigans increase. I guess I always thought that if the Devil took a break there would be less evil - but the longer I sit here thinking it over, the more logic I see in Bulgakov's premise.
My favorite part of the book was Azazello the assassin trying to convince Margarita to take the body cream.
Also I really enjoyed Messalina showing up at the ball since I learned who she was from Love in the Time of Cholera. I LOVE when books collide in my world like that.
One last general comment, do we consider Margarita to be a devil worshiper? I get that she was an adulteress, but in many other ways she was very generous and compassionate (with her maid, with the Master, with Frieda). I struggle with the idea that if you treat the Devil well, he'll be good to you too. I wonder if they will grow to resent their eternity in "peace" but not in "light."
Just finished last night.
I guess being a geometry teacher I got hung up on chapter 1 – that there are 5 proofs of God’s existence and that there were two (?) more. I took the whole book as being a “proof of God’s existence” by way of proving the devil existed. And it was surely proven.
I recognized very quickly how very little I know about Russia, history AND geography.
Also, my book at the beginning, had as a footnote, some themes that were dominant in Bulgakov’s works. One being colors and being color happy, I decided to note them. BLACK was very dominant (go figure), black cat, one eye black/one eye green, black glasses, black sneakers, black shoes, black gloves, black magic, black serpent, black underwear, black silk dress, black skirt, black bag, black poodle, black rook, black kerchief, etc. etc. I actually got tired of keeping track of black. RED was mostly people with red hair. I really wish this book was available for the kindle. I would have really liked the search capability with this book.
And many many references to Faust, I know NOTHING about him.
I also found myself thinking about Harry Potter in the Margarita section, with the witches broom, the flying car, chess pieces, fireplaces, and I really like the globe with the news on it. THAT was COOL!
I liked Chapter 4 – the chase especially with the woman in the tub.
And chapter 5 – not many people were waiting in line, just 150!
And enjoyed Chapter 8 with the cylinder at the bottom of Ivan’s bed that turned with instructions on it. The “DRINK” part made me think of Alice In Wonderland when she ate the pill that made her big.
And because of this book, I had to look up Newton’s Binomial Theroem (from chapter 18). So it was educational mathematically speaking …..
Also, my copy had a biography of Bulgakov at the end, which was very interesting. He wrote this book just before dying and had only edited the first part. He died before editing the Margarita section.
Oh a question that got me thinking was from Chapter 29, probably because I sat reading early evening on the porch watching the cars go by and watching the shadows. The question was "What would the earth look like if all the shadows disappeared? So maybe it wasn't the porch but the wine....
I think Behemoth and Koroviev just ran wild. All of those things weren't necessary to get Margarita to the ball, she was in love with the master and unhappy in her life and was "ready" for the pickings.
I don't think Margarita is a devil worshipper. She made a "deal with the devil" to get what she wanted.
AND there were just TOOOOOO many people that worked at that damn theater. I couldn't keep them all straight.
J, I wish I had taken note of the colors! I read most of the introduction in my book, but it didn't mention the colors (that I recall) Also, I wish that the intro would have just said "maybe you should read Faust before you start The M and M."
I had trouble keeping all the names straight too. Was it just me, or did a lot of the characters have two (or more) names? The authors had pseudonyms but even the theatre workers? Possibly a commentary on how careful everyone had to be to avoid the secret police?
Also, agree that my Russian history is seriously lacking. I had no idea that dealing in foreign currency was a felony.
What makes me think this book is going to be a classic is that it's a good story on the surface - but it's a great historical commentary underneath. So many, many levels of symbolism to dig through.
Finished, finally! I thought the end was rather long and drawn out, but then, honestly, I thought most of the book was. I think that maybe I am not sophisticated enough to catch the hidden meanings (even with A's endnotes) and therefore missed a lot. Possibly I would have liked the book better had I caught all the intricacies.
I agree with B that I enjoyed the parts where Margarita gets the cream (I need some of that cream!), takes flight (especially the conversation between Natasha and the pig), and the ball. I was a little disappointed to find out in the endnotes that the backstories of the attendees weren't all accurate.
Like A, I am a little torn about Margarita. We are brought up to associate evil with the devil, and certainly this book did little to dismiss that, but I don't think Margarita was evil. She seemed strong-willed and stubborn, but also compassionate and loving. This certainly is food for thought, especially A's last question about resenting living in peace, but out of the light.
Other things that struck me:
The end of Chapter 3 and Berlioz's death. How violent and, yet, almost humorous. And then in Chapter 5, the group around his body in the morgue that were trying to decide whether to put his head back on his body or allow the body to be viewed with a black cloth where the head should have been. Since the head was stolen, I guess the second was ultimately the case.
From chapter 7: Is "the worst misfortune in the world was to lose one's reason"? If you lost your reason would you know you lost it and if you didn't, would it matter?
From chapter 17: [unprintable] :-)
Here is a pet peeve, when the author breaks from the narrative and talks to me as a reader. It completely disrupts my involvement in the story (Chapter 19: "Follow me, reader! Who told you...")
The backstory on Pontius Pilate did make me want to reread the Bible, just to compare. I didn't though, did anyone else?
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