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I am about 2/3 of the way through the book and it sounds like my feelings on almost all of it are Tashmere Send a noteboard - 28/07/2010 05:48:07 AM
similar. The Pilate parts are my favorites.

I like the way it builds. The crazy is moderate in the beginning, and I felt that we got to know Berlioz and Ivan more than any of the characters we spend more time with later. The story happens around Ivan and Berlioz, rather than to them as with the other secondary characters, until we get the first interesting revelation with the oil/tram/decapitation. And right in the middle of that, BLAM! (technical term), one hits the section about Pilate. I want to read that book. Unfortunately, even though I liked the way it ended (and how everything connected), I wasn't as impressed with subsequent sections as I was with the introduction of Pilate/Yeshua. Amazing. If I get to call that first section a short story, I'm claiming it as one of my favorites. I must read it again to see if I still think so.

The devil does devilish things but isn't what I would call evil. I've read that viewpoint before, but I can see that being a very interesting concept when this first came out. I like Woland.


I find my reactions to Woland sort of disturbing. I don't want to like him but I kind of do. Subtle evil is much harder to resist. Woland has that figured out. That is a dangerous man.

I am amused by my own transition regarding all the supernaturals. I didn't like them. Then I liked them quite a bit (up to and during the ball sequence). Then I didn't like them (too much - too annoying post ball) and then I loved them at the very end. I'm not sure that's intended, other than the first and last impressions. I'd guess it's down to my reading straight through things I don't understand.


At the point I am at right now, the magic is annoying. But it hasn't always been that way during the story.

I'm doing that whole MUST READ THE HISTORY OF THE TIME thing that I do - among a gazillion other things, I'm intensely curious about when civil rights (re: africans) unfolded in Russia. And wondering about apartment shortages.


Haha! I Googled the housing crisis in Moscow. Glad I wasn't the only one that was curious about it.

I am not sure I like Margarita. I will have to think about this and potentially expound tomorrow. I love the Master. Borderline treasure.


I won't know what I think of Margarita for a while longer. The jury is still out. Still don't know much about The Master.

I am starting the chapter about the ball.
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There wasn't much character-building, was there? - 23/07/2010 11:26:44 PM 1025 Views
Too much crazy. - 28/07/2010 02:59:46 AM 995 Views
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The murder of Judas. - 23/07/2010 11:13:58 PM 848 Views
Does it make more sense if Aphranius is seen as... - 26/07/2010 12:39:46 AM 799 Views
Ah. - 26/07/2010 08:54:30 AM 897 Views
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Yeah. I couldn't think of one that he would fit. - 29/07/2010 10:35:35 PM 914 Views
See, that seemed obvious to me. - 28/07/2010 02:55:02 AM 943 Views
Oh, so that was them making up a story to tell anyone else if needed? *NM* - 28/07/2010 08:29:10 AM 497 Views
Mm, not just that. - 28/07/2010 02:45:58 PM 982 Views
That's how I read it, also. - 29/07/2010 09:53:17 AM 977 Views
The walls have ears. Nobody would know that better than Aphranius and Pilate. - 31/07/2010 07:32:09 PM 986 Views
Wait, isn't that what happened? - 31/07/2010 07:39:32 PM 1059 Views
You are right. He didn't wield the metal weapon. - 31/07/2010 10:19:57 PM 1004 Views
Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? - 23/07/2010 11:44:28 PM 866 Views
Re: Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? - 26/07/2010 12:40:32 AM 1006 Views
may be... - 26/07/2010 03:50:48 PM 847 Views
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Ivanovich's dream. - 29/07/2010 02:43:43 PM 1000 Views
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The story of the Passion is strikingly intense. - 20/07/2010 07:27:26 AM 990 Views
It is. They are my favourite bits. - 21/07/2010 07:11:33 PM 874 Views
I agree – those were my favourite bits to read. - 23/07/2010 10:15:55 PM 867 Views
Behemoth was hilarious. I love the idea of him being a large mischievous cat. - 23/07/2010 11:22:01 PM 759 Views
He is MY cat. - 28/07/2010 03:03:26 AM 922 Views
I'm reserving a spot for my comments but not posting them just yet. - 15/07/2010 03:46:34 PM 921 Views
(I just actually posted below) *NM* - 20/07/2010 05:22:00 PM 469 Views
Was wondering about that. *NM* - 20/07/2010 05:22:27 PM 482 Views
I had a very interesting conversation about the novel yesterday. - 16/07/2010 02:44:53 PM 1003 Views
That's neat. - 18/07/2010 08:48:53 PM 907 Views
Re: I had a very interesting conversation about the novel yesterday. - 21/07/2010 12:22:28 PM 903 Views
I suspect I'm missing a hell of a lot. - 23/07/2010 10:45:35 PM 1062 Views
I was slightly disappointed on my second read. - 18/07/2010 08:48:02 PM 1030 Views
Re: I was slightly disappointed on my second read. - 21/07/2010 12:31:50 PM 992 Views
I see that title and I think of taking up smoking... - 18/07/2010 09:43:38 PM 796 Views
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About evil in this book. - 21/07/2010 07:14:59 PM 812 Views
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Names. - 21/07/2010 07:16:23 PM 944 Views
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I have finally started it. - 25/07/2010 04:30:57 AM 952 Views
Unfortunately do to my eye surgery I could not participate. - 28/07/2010 12:36:28 AM 966 Views
I "read" it in audiobook form, in the car and on the move. - 29/07/2010 02:55:50 PM 962 Views
I wonder if having the words in front would have helped Ivanovich's dream make (more) sense. - 29/07/2010 10:37:27 PM 750 Views
Indeed, it may have. - 30/07/2010 09:06:27 AM 1460 Views
I've finished. - 28/07/2010 02:39:57 AM 913 Views
I am about 2/3 of the way through the book and it sounds like my feelings on almost all of it are - 28/07/2010 05:48:07 AM 778 Views
Civil Rights? You do realize that Russia never imported slaves, right? - 28/07/2010 01:52:12 PM 1015 Views
I thought that was so. - 28/07/2010 02:53:21 PM 1018 Views
It felt like two different books.One part I felt like I was wading through a meaningless fluff. - 31/07/2010 10:45:52 PM 940 Views
Hm - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM 957 Views

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