Poor Folk

Two struggling lives unfold through letters filled with affection, hardship, hope, and human dignity.



Fyodor Dostoevsky's first novel, Poor Folk, tells the story of Makar Devushkin and Varvara Dobroselova through their correspondence.



Their letters reveal the difficulties of poverty, loneliness, social inequality, love, pride, and the desire to preserve dignity despite difficult circumstances. Through this intimate structure, Dostoevsky gives readers a deeply human portrait of people struggling to find comfort and connection in an unforgiving world.



The novel established themes that would become central to Dostoevsky's later work, particularly his interest in poverty, psychology, compassion, and the complexity of human relationships.



Discover the early work of one of Russia's greatest novelists in this moving story of poverty, affection, and human dignity.