Pale Fire -Vladimir Nabokov (12/100)

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Finding this book in English in Bogotá was a great task; however, I achieved it. My persistence was because this book has been mentioned as one of the greatest of Nabokov. For me, it was important to read in its original language because I like to keep my vocabulary and I believe writing process is much clearer when the reader has the privilege to appreciate fluency and meanings of the original language of an artwork.

"Pale Fire" was published in 1962. First, it presents a foreword written by Kinbote who also is the author of the analysis in the book. The book shows a poem titled"Pale Fire" by John Shade. Afterwards, it is analyzed by Kinbote. John was writer and collegue of Kinbote, his last artwork is the analized poem. 

Two stories are told simultaneously: The reasons of John Shade to write each line and the life of the king of Zembla who was forced to leave his country and to live escaping of a man who is looking forward to kill him.

In the beginning it is percieved the style of the book: There is a man who is analyzing a poem but is is funny how small sentences are supposed to have deep connections to fiction, philosophy, poetry, personal situations and of course, the life of the Zemblan king. The reader may percieve the reviewer has edited many parts of the original piece fulfilling meaningful passages with simple "etc".

A cursious relationship might also be percieved between Shade and Kinbote. The writers seems not so interested in his collegue who is always spying his friend. Once, very important hosts were invited to a dinner with Shade except Mr. Kinbote. However, at the end, when teachers at the English Department try to investigate the Kinbote's origin, Shade behaves protective and supportive. 

The analysis suggests Shade's death was a mistake of a killer following a Zemblan king who escaped of his country. It would explain the adoration presented by Kinbote. Nonetheless, the end opens the door to believe he is just a mediocre writer trying to believe his story.

I belive it is not a masterpiece of Vladimir Nabokov; however, I have read, it opened the door for metaliterature. From that point of view, I would be more indulgent. To me, making good fiction and good metaliterature as one single peace of art is a great challenge. I loved the doubt Nabokov creates in the writer at the end. It is difficult to understand the personality of Kinbote. Sometimes, I percieved him like a ridiculous blind follower of Shade. At the end, the position of a hidden king made him mores interesting, but what if all was a lie? Great ending.