Uncle’s Dream (Readings Classics)

In the quiet provincial town of Mordasov, the unexpected return of the eccentric and wealthy Prince K-sets the stage for a flurry of social scheming. At the center of the intrigue is Marya Alexandrovna Moskaleva, a formidable matriarch with sharp wit and even sharper ambition. Determined to secure a prosperous future for her beautiful daughter Zina, Marya sees the aging prince as the ideal match. But as rival matchmakers emerge and Zina’s heart proves less compliant than her mother’s plans, farce and satire unfold in equal measure. Uncle’s Dream offers a delightfully humorous portrait of 19th century Russian society, where vanity, ambition, and gossip collide in drawing rooms and over tea. Written carly in Dostoyevsky’s career, the novella reveals his keen eye for character and social absurdity, serving as a light hearted counterpoint to the psychological depth and moral gravity of his later masterpieces.