Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol is a humorous story that follows Chichikov, a charismatic and mysterious gentleman who is looking to get crazy rich in a crazy way. His plan? To buy dead serfs (feudal-like slaves) that are still taxed as if they were alive. To achieve his goal, Chichikov traverses rural Russia, convincing land owners to sell him their dead souls. All of these landowners are unique, ranging from being eccentric nutjobs to introverted brick walls. Chichikov skillfully deduces the landowners’ personalities, gaining their trust, and getting closer to his goal.

But who’s ever heard of buying dead souls? Chichikov must be careful to hide his plan in order to avoid public scrutiny…

The way Gogol follows Chichikov’s journey while writing with both humor and self-awareness is something rarely seen in a book. He makes sure the reader knows he’s conscious of what they think, and as a Russian, what they face in daily Russian life. Gogol is aware of the power he holds as an author. He isn’t afraid to criticize Chichikov or the society he released the book in. Gogol makes the book an even more interesting read than it already is.

And despite Dead Souls being written in the early 19th century, a lot of its humor still holds today, especially in Garnett’s translation. Gogol is a masterful writer; even when he seemingly goes on a tangent he brings it back to Chichikov and the situation at hand. He makes his work enjoyable to read even centuries later. The humanity in the characters is clearly seen, even today, since the goal of making passive income quickly is still popular.

Another thing to praise Gogol for was how he got straight to the point of Chichikov’s journey. When I read Crime and Punishment–another amazing read–I remember getting tired of the first 50 pages of backstory. But with Gogol, you are swept right up into the life of Chichikov and his plans. And once we do get to Chichikov’s backstory, it is still entertaining to read.

If you decide to read Dead Souls, you will notice there are two books. I would recommend reading just book one. Book two starts off with a new setting and new characters, bringing Chichikov in later. It is a very unfinished piece, and it doesn’t compare to the joyous read the first part was. There was probably a reason for Gogol to burn the second part, but if you wish to read both parts you are welcome to. Book 1 fully has my recommendation, and it is definitely one of my favorite books!