Is a profound psychological novel that delves into the mind of Rodion Raskolnikov, an impoverished former student in 19th-century Saint Petersburg. Driven by an intellectual theory that extraordinary individuals are justified in committing crimes for the greater good, Raskolnikov murders an old pawnbroker and her sister.

The novel then meticulously traces the agonizing psychological and moral consequences of his actions. Rather than focusing on the “whodunit,” Dostoevsky explores the “whydunit” and, more importantly, the “how-it-feels.” Raskolnikov is tormented by overwhelming guilt, paranoia, and alienation, engaging in a complex mental cat-and-mouse game with the shrewd police investigator Porfiry Petrovich.