Pale Fire
Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov is a reissue published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group on April 23, 1989. This 320-page work presents a darkly comic narrative that intertwines suspense, literary idolatry, and political intrigue, showcasing Nabokov’s distinctive style. The novel features a unique structure, combining a 999-line poem by the character John Shade with commentary from the eccentric scholar Charles Kinbote, creating a rich tapestry of literary exploration.
Readers will encounter an ingeniously crafted parody of detective fiction, where Kinbote’s commentary blends adoration with a fantastical plot involving an assassin from Zembla. The book offers a variety of deceptive pleasures, inviting readers to engage with its themes of absurdity and literary critique. With its blend of poetry and prose, Pale Fire stands as a notable example of Nabokov’s literary prowess, appealing to those interested in fiction that challenges traditional narrative forms.
Official synopsis Publisher
A darkly comic novel of suspense, literary idolatry and one-upmanship, and political intrigue from one of the leading writers of the twentieth century, the acclaimed author of Lolita.
“Half-poem, half-prose…a creation of perfect beauty, symmetry, strangeness, originality and moral truth. One of the great works of art of this century.” —Mary McCarthy, New York Times bestselling author of The Group
An ingeniously constructed parody of detective fiction and learned commentary, Pale Fire offers a cornucopia of deceptive pleasures, at the center of which is a 999-line poem written by the literary genius John Shade just before his death. Surrounding the poem is a foreword and commentary by the demented scholar Charles Kinbote, who interweaves adoring literary analysis with the fantastical tale of an assassin from the land of Zembla in pursuit of a deposed king. Brilliantly constructed and wildly inventive, Vladimir Nabokov’s witty novel achieves that rarest of things in literature—perfect tragicomic balance.
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