The Brothers Karamazov is beyond literary criticism. It is full of the fragrance of life. In this book, heaven greets earth and earth reaches heaven. And it all happens throughout the whole book. This book is very humane (also optimistic and humanistic), but not in a sort of "one has the freedom to do whatever he/she wants because tomorrow they will be food for worms" kind of way. The Brothers Karamazov was Dostoevsky's last novel, and I agree completely with one person who left a comment- Larissa Volokhonsky and her husband's translation is the ONLY ONE WORTH READING (that I know of). Many translations use sophistication (that's good in math, chess and sometimes philosophy), but has NO PLACE in this book! Dostoevsky's books can have very sorrowful parts, but all in all they highlight hope for humanity and something special that resides in each person, even in the worst of people. This special thing is a soul and a conscience, and a desire for love. I'm sorry but I've read praise from some famous people of Dostoevsky as a "great psychologist" and him knowing people, and etc. and I must say, there's nothing wrong with psychology, but Dostoevsky is just a tad above much garbage that is around that's called fancy names. Some books can be translated and interpreted in various "creative" ways and that is great- but the spiritual meaning of the book must be transferred in the translation, then use all the creativity you want. I think translating a book like this and changing its meaning is robbing the author of everything he meant to say (it's not bad, it's just pointless). I'm sure that reading it with a proper attitude can still convey everything well to the reader, but the best translation is by Larissa Volokhonsky and Richard Pevear. This book is like entering another country and seeing that people not only look differently, they speak differently, they think differently, believe and live in their own way. It's not a typical fiction novel, and some people might find it very boring. Sorry for such a long post and enjoy your life :D