crime and punishment was my introduction into classical literature, after years of not being that much of a bookworm, and i loved it.
dostoevsky describes evil characters in a way where they still feel like humans, and where you can still recognize some of the characters negative traits and patterns of thought in yourself. and its scary!
because he knows that evil is something everyone is born with, and everyone is capable of acting upon.. you are also born with the free will to choose whether or not you are going to act upon those urges.
he has a very grounded sense of ethics. i like that a lot.