--- product_id: 10032667 title: "The Master and Margarita" price: "₱2268" currency: PHP in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.ph/products/10032667-the-master-and-margarita store_origin: PH region: Philippines --- # Iconic black cat cover art Classic Russian masterpiece Top 1,000 Fiction Satire rank The Master and Margarita **Price:** ₱2268 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Unlock the dark magic of Soviet satire — don’t miss the literary phenomenon everyone’s talking about! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Master and Margarita - **How much does it cost?** ₱2268 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ph](https://www.desertcart.ph/products/10032667-the-master-and-margarita) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Award-Winning Bestseller:** Ranked #215 in Fiction Satire and boasting over 1,500 glowing reviews with a 4.4-star average. - • **Striking Visual Identity:** Features a captivating black cat on the cover, symbolizing mystery and allure. - • **Timeless Literary Classic:** Dive into a multi-layered narrative blending love, satire, and supernatural intrigue. - • **Critically Acclaimed Translation:** Experience the best English translation praised for cultural and linguistic authenticity. - • **Cultural and Intellectual Must-Read:** Join a community of discerning readers who appreciate profound storytelling and historical depth. ## Overview The Master and Margarita is Mikhail Bulgakov’s iconic novel, blending four intertwined narratives of love, satire, and supernatural events set in 1930s Moscow. This paperback edition features a striking black cat cover and offers a highly praised English translation. Celebrated for its rich storytelling and cultural depth, it ranks among the top fiction satire books and has garnered over 1,500 positive reviews, making it a must-have for literary enthusiasts and professionals seeking a profound reading experience. ## Description The Master and Margarita [Bulgakov, Mikhail, Ginsburg, Mirra] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Master and Margarita Review: The perfect translation - Before you dive into this review, know this. I'm a native Russian, and a writer, and I have just completed a feat of rereading the novel in Russian and reading first Ginsburg and then Pevear & Volokhonsky translations, back to back, to compare. And this translation will give you the best feeling for the language, the culture, and the story. It's the bomb. Now, to the review itself. The first time I read The Master and Margarita in Russian, it was, out of all places, in Berlin. I was a teenager, and I lived in Berlin with my father and his new wife and my half-sister, because my father was a writer and a journalist and was sent by Soviet Union to Berlin to be the correspondent for a large Russian newspaper agency. I remember reading the book so vividly, that even today every detail is etched in my brain like a colorful photograph. The soft bright chair I sat in, with my back toward the window, the book in my lap, the pages rustling, and the image of Margarita, most importantly, of her knee, the knee that's been kissed over and over and how it turned blue. And the cat, the black cat that could talk. That's all I remember, plus the feeling of fascination I got. And now, over 20 years later, I have read it again, after becoming a writer myself 2 years ago, not knowing back in my teens that I would ever write, but being struck by the genius of Bulgakov. And, my, oh my, rereading it now I understood for the first time what the book was about. I sort of thought of it as a fairy tale back in my teens, I felt something underneath it, but couldn't get it. I got it now, and I cried, I cried for Bulgakov, for his imprisonment as a writer in the country that oppressed him to the last of his days, and I cried because he refused to be broken, and because he has written a masterpiece, and I was holding it in my hands, reliving it like so many people, many many years after he died. As to the story. It's not just one story, and not even two, it's four. A story of love, and of darkness, and of life and death. There are four narratives, the love between Master and Margarita, the strange visitors and Satan who come to Moscow, the story of Moscow life itself, the city, the people, and the story of Yeshua in the ancient walls of Yershalayim. Each has its own flavor, breathes its own air, and weaves into one book that tethers on that notion that no work of art can be destroyed, "manuscripts don't burn", says Satan, and that's Bulgakov's pain, him against the system that wanted to crush him, and didn't. He escaped. The irony of the book is that, in some sense, it's autobiographical, and that makes it even more tragic. But the satire! Oh, the satire! I don't know how many times I snorted coffee and tea out of my nose, because I have this habit of drinking hot drinks while reading, curled up on the couch. So many memories burst on the scene, so many authentic Russian quirks and habits and characters, the wealth of which I have nearly forgotten over my 16 years in US, and which dazzled my mind like fireworks, albeit of course, because I was reading it in Russian, and I'm about to start reading two translations in English, one by Mirra Ginsburg, and another by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Because, if there was ever a book worth reading 5, 10, 20 times in a row, it is The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov, his last book written over the course of 10 years, and not quite completed... he narrated changes to his wife right up to his death. No matter. It is perfect. Read it. Review: Not just a story but an experience - "The Master and Margarita," written by Mikhail Bulgakov, is a "classic" novel that I am sad to say has sat on my shelf for many years without having been read. The novel is set against the backdrop of Soviet Russia in the 1930s. Bulgakov wrote the novel during a time of severe censorship and oppression, which is reflected in the themes of the book. The story intertwines the fate of a writer, referred to as the Master, and his lover Margarita, with a visit by the Devil to Moscow. The novel is darkly satirical and was not published until 1967, long after Bulgakov's death. It has since become one of the most significant works of Russian literature from the twentieth century. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction, particularly fantasy. It blends the supernatural with reality, dark humor, and the philosophical. I would compare it to the modern works of authors such as Neil Gaiman or Susanna Clarke. While reading the novel, I was reminded of the rich and multi-layered storytelling in Clarke's "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell." This novel is not just a story but an experience. It challenged my perception, and there were several points that I thought Bulgakov had gone off the rails, but by the end, it all made sense. Overall, Bulgakov's writing is fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. ## Features - Paperback with picture of a black cat. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #25,158 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #215 in Fiction Satire #767 in Classic Literature & Fiction #1,953 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,596 Reviews | ## Images ![The Master and Margarita - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71ZfyzgSdpL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The perfect translation *by K***E on March 12, 2014* Before you dive into this review, know this. I'm a native Russian, and a writer, and I have just completed a feat of rereading the novel in Russian and reading first Ginsburg and then Pevear & Volokhonsky translations, back to back, to compare. And this translation will give you the best feeling for the language, the culture, and the story. It's the bomb. Now, to the review itself. The first time I read The Master and Margarita in Russian, it was, out of all places, in Berlin. I was a teenager, and I lived in Berlin with my father and his new wife and my half-sister, because my father was a writer and a journalist and was sent by Soviet Union to Berlin to be the correspondent for a large Russian newspaper agency. I remember reading the book so vividly, that even today every detail is etched in my brain like a colorful photograph. The soft bright chair I sat in, with my back toward the window, the book in my lap, the pages rustling, and the image of Margarita, most importantly, of her knee, the knee that's been kissed over and over and how it turned blue. And the cat, the black cat that could talk. That's all I remember, plus the feeling of fascination I got. And now, over 20 years later, I have read it again, after becoming a writer myself 2 years ago, not knowing back in my teens that I would ever write, but being struck by the genius of Bulgakov. And, my, oh my, rereading it now I understood for the first time what the book was about. I sort of thought of it as a fairy tale back in my teens, I felt something underneath it, but couldn't get it. I got it now, and I cried, I cried for Bulgakov, for his imprisonment as a writer in the country that oppressed him to the last of his days, and I cried because he refused to be broken, and because he has written a masterpiece, and I was holding it in my hands, reliving it like so many people, many many years after he died. As to the story. It's not just one story, and not even two, it's four. A story of love, and of darkness, and of life and death. There are four narratives, the love between Master and Margarita, the strange visitors and Satan who come to Moscow, the story of Moscow life itself, the city, the people, and the story of Yeshua in the ancient walls of Yershalayim. Each has its own flavor, breathes its own air, and weaves into one book that tethers on that notion that no work of art can be destroyed, "manuscripts don't burn", says Satan, and that's Bulgakov's pain, him against the system that wanted to crush him, and didn't. He escaped. The irony of the book is that, in some sense, it's autobiographical, and that makes it even more tragic. But the satire! Oh, the satire! I don't know how many times I snorted coffee and tea out of my nose, because I have this habit of drinking hot drinks while reading, curled up on the couch. So many memories burst on the scene, so many authentic Russian quirks and habits and characters, the wealth of which I have nearly forgotten over my 16 years in US, and which dazzled my mind like fireworks, albeit of course, because I was reading it in Russian, and I'm about to start reading two translations in English, one by Mirra Ginsburg, and another by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Because, if there was ever a book worth reading 5, 10, 20 times in a row, it is The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov, his last book written over the course of 10 years, and not quite completed... he narrated changes to his wife right up to his death. No matter. It is perfect. Read it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Not just a story but an experience *by J***C on August 20, 2024* "The Master and Margarita," written by Mikhail Bulgakov, is a "classic" novel that I am sad to say has sat on my shelf for many years without having been read. The novel is set against the backdrop of Soviet Russia in the 1930s. Bulgakov wrote the novel during a time of severe censorship and oppression, which is reflected in the themes of the book. The story intertwines the fate of a writer, referred to as the Master, and his lover Margarita, with a visit by the Devil to Moscow. The novel is darkly satirical and was not published until 1967, long after Bulgakov's death. It has since become one of the most significant works of Russian literature from the twentieth century. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction, particularly fantasy. It blends the supernatural with reality, dark humor, and the philosophical. I would compare it to the modern works of authors such as Neil Gaiman or Susanna Clarke. While reading the novel, I was reminded of the rich and multi-layered storytelling in Clarke's "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell." This novel is not just a story but an experience. It challenged my perception, and there were several points that I thought Bulgakov had gone off the rails, but by the end, it all made sense. Overall, Bulgakov's writing is fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good translation of a historically remarkable novel *by R***D on July 3, 2023* I ordered this novel after learning that avant garde filmmaker Kenneth Anger recommended The Master and Margarita to rocker Mick Jagger. Mikhail Bulgakov's novel has a remarkable history: Bulgakov worked on the novel until his death in 1940, but the Soviet government suppressed Bulgakov's novel until 1966. I questioned the novel's Soviet suppression while I read it as literature. The novel has two subplots. The devil Woland and his retinue appear in Moscow; they have no apparent agenda beyond inciting bourgeois chaos. Woland's people recruit Margarita, a married woman who is romantically involved with an author she calls Master, as the hostess in their satanic ball; first Margarita and later Master are introduced to the satanic magical lifestyle. Simultaneously, Master loses hope as his novel depicting Pontius Pilate's involvement in the crucifixion of the philosopher Yeshua (Jesus) is rejected while author Bulgakov presents his depiction of the crucifixion. Master and Margarita become increasingly entangled in Woland's retinue as their satanic activities spread alarm and destruction throughout Moscow society. Then Woland and his band fade away as Moscow's police close in, leaving Moscow's government to scientifically explain the lingering chaos. Bulgakov's novel has impressive reviews that are difficult to question. I view the Woland subplot as fantasy fiction; it is interesting but IMO it is not great reading. I view the well-written and detailed Pontius Pilate depiction as Bulgakov's attempt to logically explain the Jesus crucifixion history during a Soviet non-religious era. I attribute 26 years of Soviet suppression to not publishing tales of bourgeois chaos and not publicizing the life of Jesus. Mirra Ginsburg's English readable translation makes The Master and Margarita a good read, but I don't consider this a great book. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Master and Margarita - Heart of a Dog - The Master and Margarita: 50th-Anniversary Edition (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ph/products/10032667-the-master-and-margarita](https://www.desertcart.ph/products/10032667-the-master-and-margarita) --- *Product available on Desertcart Philippines* *Store origin: PH* *Last updated: 2026-04-29*