The Master and Margarita
I loved it. I thought it was incredible and look forward to re-reading it soon. The plot is terribly interesting, and needs to be told in short-form for those who have not read the novel.
In the first chapter, a scholarly editor is scolding a poet who was tasked to write a blasphemous poem about Jesus for Easter (this is atheist Russia after the revolution). His criticism is that the poem makes Jesus come alive and since he never lived it has failed.
Then a mysterious foreigner is there with him and he enters the conversation and contradicts the editor and quite unsettles him with some of his mysterious statements. This stranger is the devil himself and not only does he say that Jesus lived, he predicts the editors death which happens in chapter three.
Then chapter 2 shifts to first person from Pilate, the devil (called Professor Woland) presumably is telling about the real Jesus who lived from Pilate's perspective. This chapter is incredible and I will comment more on the Pilate portion shortly. Then it shifts back to modern day Russia and sure enough the editor goes to his death (is beheaded by a train) and this begins the romp of the Devil and his gang (including a cat named Behemoth) as they generally create mayhem in a country where everyone says things like "speak of the devil" and "devil take you" but do not believe in anything supernatural.
Halfway through the book we are introduced to the Master, an author who wrote a novel about Pilate and Margarita, his devoted lover who named him the Master. Like Goethe's faust, she enters into dealings with Woland out of love for the Master and her love is able to save him from his plight.
OK, for more on the plot you can read any number of web summaries.
I think the novel is about the Russia of Bulgakov's day as it is about anything. Bulgakov, likely, remained alive because Stalin loved one of his early plays (and watched it many times). In the novel, The Master writes about Pilate at a time when no one wants to read about anything religious and he is vilified for it. In what he takes to be cowardice, he actually burns (tries to burn) his manuscript which has been blasted by critics (literary critics, who like the editor, actually use their intellect to serve the party line and are paid in dinners and nice clubs). But even his story about Pilate is about one who is at the top, "Hegeman" but still controlled by powers beyond him and unable to do what he wanted to do (which was to keep Jesus alive and talk with him). All he can do is secretly kill Judas out of vengeance.
So, you have the Master, a broken man because of the powers of this world and you have Pilate, who according to some traditions rises every full moon to wash his hands again of the death of Jesus (signifying undying regret at not having stopped the execution) ... in the novel the Master has written Pilate has a dream of walking on a moonbeam talking again with Jesus as before.
The novel finds solace and peace in a world that is brutal and has no regard for the artist or the human sentiments of those in power. Margarita sacrifices for the Master and in a way it is only her and Woland's gang that are active in the novel. Woland himself is almost an old man, still capable, but preferring to sit and talk while those around him act.
Well, the novel was wonderful and dense and the conversations could go on and on.
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