I love Russian literature - love a good story with a deep undercurrent of philosophy. That said, I am not super into religious books. This combination seemed awkward, but was eager to try it anyway. Then a disaster happened in my personal life - I read this book mostly in a hospital while a loved one was stuck on a hospital bed. I think no matter where I was, I would have loved this book, that is part comedy, part thought experiment, and part soliloquy on love and isolation. That said, this especially spoke to me in that hospital, and it will always have a special part in my library. The classic philosophical nature of this Russian novel plus the surprisingly hilarious scenes was exactly what I needed in the dismal hospital room. Highly recommend.