About this audiobook
Grigory Pechorin moves through encounters in the Caucasus that reveal different aspects of an unsettled personality. He can observe his own motives sharply while remaining uncertain about what would give his life meaning. His actions affect people whose feelings do not fit comfortably into the explanations he makes for himself.
Mikhail Lermontov presents the character through several perspectives, including Pechorin's own account. The changing viewpoints and order of events make an immediate judgement difficult. A person seen from outside may appear different when allowed to explain himself, but self-knowledge does not necessarily make his account complete or his conduct less troubling.
The novel explores freedom, boredom and responsibility, asking how a search for intensity can become a form of power over others. Its connected stories invite readers to compare impressions, notice contradictions and consider the limits of a character's understanding of the consequences he creates.
