The book by Alexander Zerkalov is dedicated to the ethical principles in Bulgakov’s work, which are considered in the light of the literary, political and everyday realities of 1937, when work was underway on the latest edition of “The Master and Margarita.” “After the hecatombs of 1937, all Soviet writers, in essence, wrote one common novel: in ethical terms, their works were indistinguishably similar to each other. Bulgakov’s novel is a surprising exception,” writes Zerkalov. According to Zerkalov, Bulgakov’s “novel about the devil” is a kind of charade, the answers to which are found both in the social context of the 30s of the last century and in the literary sources of the famous work. Therefore, considerable attention is paid to the comparative analysis of “The Master and Margarita” and its sources - first of all, Goethe’s “Faust”. Alexander Zerkalov’s book is strictly scientific. Extensive erudition allows the author to freely navigate historical and theological works published in different countries. At the same time, the book is written in accessible language and is intended for a wide range of readers.