Pale Fire in Overdue Podcast

Aug 01, 2017 Jason rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, favorites

A Zemblan nesting doll* of a novel.

*Much like it's Russian counterpart in that the primary feature is that dolls of descending size fit into one another, but unlike the Russian counterpart the Zemblan variety are tasteful and portray virile male youths.

I am going to abstain from composing this review in rhyming verse, though it is almost irresistible, largely due to the fact that I know I would bungle it up - a bit of a Gradus in that way.

This deceptive and fun novel has at it's heart a poem co A Zemblan nesting doll* of a novel.

*Much like it's Russian counterpart in that the primary feature is that dolls of descending size fit into one another, but unlike the Russian counterpart the Zemblan variety are tasteful and portray virile male youths.

I am going to abstain from composing this review in rhyming verse, though it is almost irresistible, largely due to the fact that I know I would bungle it up - a bit of a Gradus in that way.

This deceptive and fun novel has at it's heart a poem consisting of four cantos and totaling 999 lines. The poem itself is a lovely autobiographical piece written by the character John Shade, who as it turns out is not the true protagonist of the novel. The real protagonist is not this well-loved and much lauded poet, but an acquaintance/neighbor of his, one Charles Kinbote, that gets the rights to publish the poem along with his extensive commentary. The Foreward and Commentary, penned by the Kinbote character, is not as readily enjoyable and takes a bit longer to figure out what exactly is going on - this is not a straight-forward affair. What is quickly discernible is that Kinbote has little intention of sticking to the poem and instead wants to focus on topics important to him, namely his homeland of Zembla, the ousting of its' monarch, and of coarse himself. There is occasionally some commentary that is directly relevant to the poem, but it is perfunctory and seems like off-base interpretation or is even denigrating. The real story behind the story (as far as Kinbote is concerned) evolves and reveals itself through the commentary. That story is one of intrigue and is much less relate-able, but is a fun puzzle.

There is plenty one can take away - commentary of commentary and critics in general, the world of literature, blah blah blah - the layers are too much for my puny lump of grey matter, but I did enjoy this tricky piece and look forward to giving a reread before long. This is one extremely clever book, almost too clever at times, but you can tell that Nabokov must have had a blast writing it. A hearty - Hoorah!

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Feb 11, 2019 Hannah rated it really liked it

John Shade wrote a 999 line poem and then he was brutally murdered. His friend Kinbote has gotten permission to organize and write his annotations. As the poem and the comments unfold, you discover that everything is not as it seems. Kinbote's comments do not have as much to do with the poem as the supposed relationship between the two men.

You discover that Kinbote might be an exiled king, he might just think he's an exiled king, or else just well...weird. The men aren't friends as much as Kinb ...more

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Mar 16, 2016 Thekelburrows rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Far be it from me to find fault in anything written by the genius Vladimir Nabokov but I hoped that Pale Fire would deliver more humor along with it's unusual construction and out-there narrative. ...more

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