There are few authors that explore the human (and Russian) 'condition' like Dostoyevsky. One of his revolutionary narrative techniques had to do with the consciousness of the novel as the unstable psyche of Roskolnikov regularly took over the text. As a result, the narrative's reliability always seems shaky as the limited omniscience of the narrator (limited to Roskolnikov) molds the reading experience.

Combined with dramatic irony present on almost every page, this book amounts to a tense and rewarding (though admittedly cumbersome) read. Make sure you make good use of the resources I've provided on this page, specifically the character list and the single-focus reading guide. Once you get past the names and once you have the discipline to setup a routine to read regularly (30-60 min each night), this book will be an intellectual and literary challenge unlike few.