The Master and Margarita wasn’t what I expected at all, but then again I don’t think anybody could be prepared to expect any of the unhinged tale of Satan, his followers and Behemoth the chaotic black cat as they cause chaos in the streets of Moscow. Only in the second part of the book does Bulgakov introduce who could be seen as the novels protagonist, the reason for the inclusion of ‘Margarita’ in the title being a mystery until the halfway point, and instead bouncing between the present of Satan terrorising the people of Moscow, be it morally corrupt bankers and owners of capital, and a second story recounting the events of Pontius Pilate condemning Yashea Ha-Noziri to crucifixion. The way these stories are brought together in the second act is so unexpected and nonsensical, though as you continue to read you just come to accept anything is possible and Satan warps reality as he pleases. Interestingly, though presented as antagonists, I found myself coming to like Satan and his troop, especially enjoying the antics of the cat Behemoth. The story is unbelievably confusing but in a charming way, and challenges Soviet Russia’s attitudes to foreigners, an especial emphasis being placed on the laws against foreign currency. Bulgakov ultimately highlights his blurred the boundaries between good and evil are in his writing and presents a baffling story of magical realism and religious and political debate, that I could only sum up as utterly chaotic.