White Nights

Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Genre: Romantic novella

Traits: Dreamy, Yearning, melancholic

Language: English

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    “My God! A whole minute of bliss! Is that really so little for the whole of a man’s life?”- Fyodor Dostoyevsky (White Nights)

    White Nights is a novella that perfectly captures the ephemeral beauty and melancholy of fleeting moments.

    The novella follows a nameless narrator, a lonely and introspective man who spends his nights wandering the streets, lost in his fantasies. His isolation is abruptly interrupted by the female lead Nastenka, a young woman equally isolated by her circumstances, when they meet over a course of four nights sharing their stories, dreams, and hopes, forging a bond that is both tender and bittersweet.

    The narrator pours his heart out to Nastenka, finding in her a kindred spirit. As they grow closer it becomes painfully clearer that his love for her is destined to be unrequited as she is already in love with someone else. And Nastenka sees the narrator not as lover but as a friend and confidant who will help him in her own romantic turmoil.

    It’s a hauntingly beautiful novella that captures the intricacies of human emotions, loneliness and fleeting moments of connection. Its power lies in its ability to evoke that sense of temporary solace and longing for THAT SOMEONE to whom we can open ourselves and rise from loneliness. This shared emotions of loneliness, love and brief connections that we feel on a daily basis makes this book unforgettable.

R/W ratings: 8.5/10

Goodreads ratings: 4.06/5 (As on date of publishing of post)

R/W by: Shikha Lal