The EyeSmurov, a fussily self-conscious Russian tutor, shoots himself after a humiliating beating by his mistress' husband. Unsure whether his suicide has been successful or not, Smurov drifts around Berlin, observing his acquaintances, but finds he can discover very little about his own life from the opinions of his distracted, confused fellow-émigrés. Nabokov's shortest novel, The Eye is both a satirical detective story and a wonderfully layered exploration of identity, appearance and the loss of self in a world of word-play and confusion. |
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Abum amusing Ariane Azef began Berlin bouquet boys chov cigarette conversation daredevil dark dining room door dream émigré everything Evgenia existence eyes face feel felt fingers floor flowers frightened gaze girl glance hand happened happy heart humiliated hurried husband image of Smurov imagine Ivan Ivanovich Kashmarin Khrush Khrushchov knew lady LENIN letter light lips Listen live look mailbox Matilda mirror Mukhin mysterious night once pale PALE FIRE parlour pass paused Peacock Street person pfennigs pince-nez Roman Bogdanovich Russian seemed shot shouted sisters sitting smile sofa someone soul sound St Petersburg stopped story strange suddenly swear talk tell thing thought tion took trying turned Uncle Pasha Vanya Vikentiy Lvovich Vladimir Nabokov voice walked watch Weinstock White Army wicker wind window woman word Yalta you're smiling young