Reviews

Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov

leighreadsalot's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

asterlee's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

redowns1022's review against another edition

4.0

Four stars as a book to read with a literary book club. I appreciated this book much more after discussing it with friends compared to reading in isolation.

allisonwhite167's review against another edition

4.0

this is a lot to process and tbh i don’t think i really was right in reading this the way i did. i want to go back someday soon and reread this with much more detail and attention (i’m reading this for a book club and only had a few weeks). the novel tends to create more questions than answers, but god what an accomplishment. nabokov really does like to fuck with his readers in creating a narrative in that every one comes away with a different interpretation. it’s really amazing how he was able to create a balance of the two voices of the two different writers. obviously were left to feel that kinbote completely misinterpreted the text, right? or did he? the depth nabokov was able to create in kinbote’s story in addition to shade’s poetry is just so genius. i do have to say, though, that there were good chunks of kinbote’s commentary that left me pretty bored. this happened to me with the last third of lolita too. i just think i need to give myself some more time with nabokov. can’t wait to give this one a reread

gera_mtz's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

kingofspain93's review against another edition

5.0

I wish I could provide the reader with cut-out figures and parts of attire as given in paper-doll charts for children armed with scissors. It would brighten a little these dark evenings that are destroying my brain.

the king in exile is himself the regicide, and the poet who can put your world into words doesn't have the heart, he has the soul of an american, divorced from him homeland and the reality of difference. as the carnival takes over your mind your country is stripped away and your language fails. two tongues, always one of them English. everyone bemused, your very life before america a childish fiction that couldn't possibly be believed. if only someone could write you your home; if only you never had to leave, or have it leave you.

I was holding all Zembla pressed to my heart.

dannykane's review against another edition

A very dull dense book with utterly unbearable characters 

brooke_lynn1118's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

kristawright's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

trin's review against another edition

3.0

How have I existed in the (literary) world for almost forty years and nobody ever thought to tell me that one of the main character in this novel (1962) is named Charles Xavier? Forget moonlanding conspiracies, etc. -- I want to hear about how Stan Lee ripped off Vladimir Nabokov when he created the X-Men (1963).