âNovel in Nine Lettersâ is an incredibly inventive short story by Dostoevsky about a comical miscommunication between two friends. The story unfolds through letters as we learn that Ivan is unsuccessfully trying to collect money that he loaned to Pyotr. A comedy of errors ensues as neither man understands the other and Ivan becomes paranoid that Pyotr is avoiding him. Their world becomes a labyrinth as they attempt to connect but consistently fail due to unfortunate mishaps until a shocking final letter reveals what their previous correspondence could not. This story, which is one of Dostoevskyâs earliest, shows why he would become one of the most celebrated Russian writers of all time. It creatively blends farce and social commentary and has two compelling characters that readers can root for and against. âNovel in Nine Lettersâ is as relevant in the social media age as when it was written, and its satirical nature makes it a perfect read for fans of âA Confederacy of Duncesâ.
Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881) was a famous Russian writer of novels, short stories, and essays. A connoisseur of the troubled human psyche and the relationships between the individuals, Dostoevskyâs oeuvre covers a large area of subjects: politics, religion, social issues, philosophy, and the uncharted realms of the psychological. He is most famous for the novels âCrime and Punishmentâ, âThe Idiotâ, and âThe Brothers Karamazovâ. James Joyce described Dostoevsky as the creator of âmodern proseâ and his literary legacy is influential to this day as Dostoevskyâs work has been adapted for many movies including âThe Doubleâ starring Jesse Eisenberg.