The EyeA farcical detective story and a profoundly refractive tale about a Russian émigré living in prewar Berlin who commits suicide after being humiliated by a jealous husband, only to suffer even greater indiginities in the afterlife. • A wonderfully layered exploration of the vicissitudes of identity, appearance, and the loss of self. Smurov, a lovelorn and excruciatingly self-conscious Russian tutor, shoots himself after a 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. |
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Abum amusing Ariane Azef began Bend Sinister Berlin bouquet boys bullet chov cigarette Cincinnatus cold dark death denly dining room door dream émigré everything Evgenia exist eyes face feel felt floor flower frightened gaze girl glance hand happy heart humiliating hurried husband image of Smurov imagine Ivan Ivanovich Kashmarin Khrushchov knew lady LENIN letter light lips Listen live look mailbox Marianna Matilda mirror Mukhin mysterious night novel once pale Pale Fire parlor paused Peacock Street person pince-nez Pnin Roman Bogdanovich Russian Russian literature seemed shouted sisters sitting smile sofa sound speaking stopped story suddenly swear talk tell thing thought took Transparent Things trying turned Uncle Pasha Vanya Vikentiy Lvovich Vladimir Nabokov voice walked watch Wein Weinstock White Army wind window word Yalta young