ðɪ æntˈæɡənˌɪst ɪnðə bˈʊk, hˌuː ʃˈɛɹz mˈɛni kɑːnvɚsˈeɪʃənz wɪð dˌɑːstɔɪˈɛvski, ɪz sˈɜːdʒi nˈɛtʃeɪˌɛv, ɹˈiːəllˈaɪf lˈiːdɚɹ ʌvðə nˈɛkiːvˌɪsts, ɐ klændˈɛstɪn ɡɹˈuːp ʌv nˈaɪəlˌɪst tˈɛɹɚɹˌɪsts.
The antagonist in the book, who shares many conversations with Dostoyevsky, is Sergey Nechayev, real-life leader of the Nechaevists, a clandestine group of Nihilist terrorists.