The steady, trustworthy modern option. Michael Katz, a seasoned scholar of Russian fiction, writes clear, accurate contemporary English that stays close to the sense without either Garnett’s smoothing or the deliberate awkwardness of Pevear and Volokhonsky. The Norton Critical Edition wraps it in first-rate supporting material, sources, criticism, and context, which makes it a favourite for students and anyone who wants the novel with its scholarship attached. It is less flashy than Ready and less bracingly rough than the P&V version, landing in a sensible middle. A dependable choice when you want a faithful, well-supported modern text and value the apparatus as much as the prose.
Michael R. Katz
b. 1944
An American scholar of Russian literature whose translations of Dostoevsky and Turgenev are prized for clear, accurate, readable modern English.
Translations here
The newest English Karamazov, and a strong, clean modern take. Michael Katz, long a trusted hand with Dostoevsky, writes accurate, contemporary English that keeps the voices distinct without either Garnett’s smoothing or the deliberate friction of Pevear and Volokhonsky, and the Liveright edition is generously annotated. It arrives with decades of prior versions to measure itself against and holds up well, landing in a sensible middle between readability and fidelity. Being brand new and in copyright, it is the priciest option and has had the least time to gather a following. But if you want the most up-to-date scholarly-yet-readable Karamazov, Katz is the one to watch.