This differs from most Dostoevsky books in the sense that this book is incredibly short, and therefore there is a lot less story/character development, which is very unusual for a Dostoevsky book (I understand his publisher was pushing him to publish a novel on a tight timeline). Overall it's still a decent story and enjoyable if you're a fan of Dostoevsky. If you're new to Dostoevsky, start with something better like Crime and Punishment.