The Adolescent

«The Adolescent» — the fourth novel of the «great pentateuch» of Dostoevsky. Its first publication took place in 1875 in the magazine «Notes of the Fatherland». This work tells the story of a young man who desperately tries to find his place in the world. An illegitimate son of a prominent nobleman, Arkady Dolgoruky experiences hardships related to his origin. He yearns for wealth, recognition, and immerses himself in moral dilemmas. «The Adolescent» is a novel about the contradictions of social mores, about the relationships between parents and children, about growing up, and about love. In this edition, the text of the novel is adorned with colorful illustrations by the talented artist Maxim Viktorovich Popovsky (1975).

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (1821–1881) was born in Moscow into a large family of a doctor. At home, children were instilled with a love for literature: evening readings were organized, fairy tales were told, and they were taught Latin, French, and Russian literature. After the death of their mother, their father sent the older boys to the Engineering School. Fyodor graduated in 1843, but did not show interest in engineering — he preferred the path of a writer. His debut novel «Poor Folk» (1845) made the author famous as the «new Gogol». Over time, Dostoevsky gained wide recognition in literary circles and established communication with many cultural figures. He was described as well-read, soft-spoken, and shy, and his prose was considered original and full of deep psychological insight. In 1849, the writer was arrested as a member of the Petrashevsky circle; he was subsequently sentenced to four years of hard labor. In 1859, Dostoevsky returned to St. Petersburg and resumed his literary work. The experiences he gained during his Siberian exile were reflected in his novella «Notes from the House of the Dead» (1862). The harrowing sketches of prison life shocked readers and once again attracted the attention of his contemporaries to Dostoevsky. For almost a year and a half, from 1873 to 1874, Fyodor Mikhailovich worked as editor of the weekly literary magazine «Citizen». During this period, the writer conceived the idea of creating a new novel. The soon-to-be-published «The Adolescent» was received lukewarmly by the literary contemporaries of Dostoevsky: they criticized the text of the novel for its lack of proper coherence. However, today «The Adolescent» is considered one of Fyodor Mikhailovich's best works and is highly valued for its relevance. It is translated into various languages around the world and reissued in large print runs.