The Story of a Nobody, by Anton Chekhov - Jenny
This novella is part of the 101 Page Classics series. It follows a young man, a "nobody" who has infiltrated the household of a government official's son on behalf of a secret terrorist group. His purpose is to spy on the father and, ultimately, assassinate him. But our "nobody" narrator gradually becomes disillusioned with his purpose and chooses a new path, which leads him to a tragedy.
This was my first Chekhov, but not my first piece of classic Russian literature, and I think it is the perfect introduction to the genre! It's a great way to discover some new authors or discover a forgotten classic. Who doesn't a love character-driven psychological story? And Chekhov's writing is stunning!
At only 101 pages, it's definitely worth trying something new. And despite its short length, by the end you fully know the characters and will have formed your opinions of them.
- Jenny, @budgetbooklover
