The sun rises upon the bleak Soviet Union and a band of foreigners enter the city of Moscow. This menagerie includes the devil, a massive black cat with a penchant for chess, an alluring stark-naked witch called Vodka and a redheaded dwarf. These are the vibrant characters of Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita, a satirical retelling of Faust set in the early years of the Soviet Union. 

The devil and his retinue wreak havoc upon Moscow’s streets with the goal of obtaining the souls of two young lovers: the fiery, but unhappily married Margarita and her lover, the Master. The characters are witty and outrageous. For example, Behemoth, the cat who walks on his hind legs, also smokes cigars, tints his whiskers gold and wears pearl opera glasses. Azazello is a snaggle-toothed, blind-in-one-eye fat dwarf who has a habit of appearing and disappearing as he pleases. The devil wears berets and twirls a cane with a black knob shaped like a poodle’s head. This entourage shares a common goal: Revive former Russia through their debauched yet colorful ways. 

An omniscient narrator leaves readers wondering whether it’s the devil, the Master, or just a commoner moving the story along.

The reader meanders through the streets of Moscow as the novel uncovers themes of going to the extremes. Decadence and overindulgence also run through the book’s margins as crucial motifs.

Each of the characters represents a different political aspect that eventually leads to the fall of former Russia. One character represents the old Russian way of living, another represents the peasant class and another symbolizes the corrupt aristocracy. Because it accurately portrayed Russia at the time, The Master and Margarita was banned until the 1960s. Much of the book was missing until recently.

The Master and Margarita has astounded and thrilled readers for more than 70 years. Its profound themes, intertwining plots and humorous characters are relevant even in modern America. Its history, rich descriptions, color and thought-provoking insights into Soviet Russia would captivate any reader — whether a lover of history, literature, or someone just seeking a humorous though dark novel.

Charlotte Smart is a junior at Santa Fe Secondary School. You can reach her at charchar@cybermesa.com.