"Pale Fire" is a novel by Russian-American writer Vladimir Nabokov, first published in 1962. The novel is known for its complex structure and its innovative use of narrative form.
The novel is presented as a 999-line poem written by fictional poet John Shade, which is then annotated by his neighbor and friend, Charles Kinbote. The annotations are a rambling, eccentric, and often absurd commentary on the poem, which Kinbote believes is actually about his own life and experiences.
The novel is a meditation on the nature of reality, identity, and the creative process. It explores themes such as the unreliability of memory, the role of the artist in society, and the relationship between the author and the reader.
"Pale Fire" has been praised for its intricate narrative structure and its use of unreliable narrators. It has also been the subject of extensive literary analysis, with scholars debating the meaning of the text and the motivations of its characters.
The novel has been cited as an influence on postmodern literature and is considered one of Nabokov's most important works. It has been adapted for the stage and was the basis for a 1997 film directed by David Cronenberg.
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