This book is driving me insane—not for lack of quality—because it is taking me forever to finish. I read at a snail’s pace and Bulgakov writes verbose and gorgeously written sentences that beg to be reread.

His characters are startling and original, like no other characters I have imagined, and his plot is well paced and tightly organized. Like all good devil characters I was charmed and creeped out all at once by Woland, and irritated to no end by self-indulgent Master.

The Master and Margarita is the sort of book for which I wish I could audit a university class, as I feel like I am missing loads just reading it on my own.