POOR FOLK

Both Jonathan Keeble and Julie Teal do a splendid job of narrating this production of Dostoyevsky's first novel. Those familiar with his works will see some common themes--the plight of the downtrodden; quirky character traits; and heartfelt, even heartrending, emotions. This work is reminiscent of my favorite Dostoevsky novel, WHITE NIGHTS. The work consists entirely of letters exchanged between two distant cousins, an older man, Makar Devushkin, and a younger woman, Varvara Dobroselova, as they talk about their lives in St. Petersburg. Eventually, Varvara marries, and Makar's heart is broken. Both narrators perfectly express the characters' emotions, which include joy and heartache along with the mundane details of everyday lives. M.T.F. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2023]