Penguin Books Ltd White Nights (English, Paperback, Dostoyevsky Fyodor)

White Nights by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a short, emotionally powerful novella about loneliness, love, hope, dreams and unrequited affection. Set against the enchanting summer nights of St Petersburg, the story follows a solitary young dreamer who spends his nights wandering through the city's quiet streets.

During one of these walks, he meets Nastenka, a young woman who is waiting for the return of a man she loves. Over the course of four consecutive nights, the two strangers develop a deep emotional connection and share their hopes, fears, memories and dreams. The narrator gradually falls in love with Nastenka, even as he learns that her heart belongs to someone else.

Dostoyevsky uses this simple romantic encounter to explore the complicated relationship between fantasy and reality, as well as the human desire for companionship and emotional connection. The novella captures the beauty and pain of loving someone whose feelings may not be returned.