The Master and Margarita

Author: Mikhail Bulgakov

Genre: Fiction

Favourite quote(s): [Margarita asks the Devil to put an end to a woman’s suffering]

the Devil: “I don’t know what to do. So there only remains one thing - to find yourself some rags and use them to block up all the cracks in my bedroom.“

Margarita (puzzled): “What do you mean, messire?”

the Devil: “I was speaking of compassion. Sometimes it creeps in through the narrowest cracks. That is why I suggested using rags to block them up…”

Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is so far one of the best books I’ve read this year. The devil arrives in Soviet Moscow, accompanied by his valet, hitman, black cat and a female vampire. The rest is pure chaos. Their adventures overlap with the story of a “master” writer and Margarita, his lover. Throughout the book, a critique of the Soviet society is paired with philosophical notes on good and evil and occasional images of flying pigs and mental asylums.