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Francis Schuth

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Pale Fire

by Vladimir Nabokov

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Reading for the 2nd time

read in February 2025

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Francis Schuth said: " Never have I so quickly wanted to re-read a book upon having just finished it. Pale Fire is presented as literary criticism of the final poem of the recently deceased fictional John Shade, written by his dubious friend and confidant, Charles Kinbote. Never have I so quickly wanted to re-read a book upon having just finished it. Pale Fire is presented as literary criticism of the final poem of the recently deceased fictional John Shade, written by his dubious friend and confidant, Charles Kinbote. The story goes from the doubtful validity of Kinbote's relationship with Shade; the mysterious circumstances of the poet's death; the haunting final poem which gives the book its title; and the following commentary on the poem that traverses fictional countries, regimes, and tragedy.

The commentary is where Nabokov's flowery and manic writing style really flourishes. The reader is required to just go along for the ride even when the paragraphs start to feel like gibberish combined with each other. It is definitely a futile task to turn back to the sections of the poem as the commentary is only very loosely discussing the content of the verses. What emerges is a story of the disgraced former king of the fictional Zembla, his romances with men and the effect it had on his performative marriage, and his subsequent exile. This is intertwined with the story of Kinbote and his "friend" John Shade, as well as the story of the man commissioned to hunt down the exiled king. If this sounds ridiculous, it is. Kinbote is an extremely unreliable narrator with an out-sized sense of himself, which leads to hilarious moments when glimpses of his true relationship with the poet are hinted towards, as well as Kinbote's true identity. By the end, you are left with a feeling that none of the narrative is what *actually* happened (of course, it is all fiction) but instead the ravings of a madman full of delusions. Which, if you think about it, is just what writing fiction is anyway.

This self-reflective and bonkers journey is not the precise horror and delusion of Lolita, but it evokes a similar feeling that we the readers are trapped in the mind of one man, unable to escape and see the truth of the situation. It also feels intensely personal, as we have all told the story of our lives with ourselves as the protagonist, exaggerating our own inner world. The moments of clear-headed desperation, tragedy, and passion have an emotional impact magnified by the obtuse silliness that dances around it. I hesitate to say this is my favorite book, but it feels like it right now. ...more "

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(page 196 of 246)
— Feb 12, 2025 07:40PM

Feb 22, 2025 10:29AM · see review