When people talk about classics, in my opinion, there are a couple different types that I fear, such as the boring and difficult to read boundary-pusher, the classic enjoyable story without that much depth, the eccentric fascinating mess of a book, etc. Crime and Punishment is none of these, it is so much better. It is deeply philosophical, nail-bitingly thrilling, with fascinating characters. This became my obsession while I was reading, and maybe even still to this day, two years later. This is THE classic novel, and completely understand why so many call this the greatest book of all time.