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Despair

By Vladimir Nabokov
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Despair by Vladimir Nabokov is a gripping psychological novel that follows the protagonist, Hermann, as he concocts a plan to achieve the perfect crime by exploiting a chance encounter with a man he believes to be his doppelgΓ€nger. As Hermann spirals deeper into his obsessive scheme, the narrative delves into themes of identity, madness, and delusion. Nabokov's intricate prose and clever storytelling create a darkly comedic exploration of the human psyche.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by complex narratives and psychological depth. Nabokov's masterful storytelling and dark humour provide a compelling exploration of identity and moral ambiguity, perfect for those who appreciate a blend of suspense and philosophical reflection in literature.

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Self-satisfied, delighting in the many fascinating quirks of his own personality, Hermann Hermann is perhaps not to be taken too seriously. But then a chance meeting with a man he believes to be his double reveals a frightening 'split' in Hermann's nature.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

This dark satire follows the egotistical Hermann Hermann, a murderer who thinks himself an artist.

Self-satisfied, delighting in the many fascinating quirks of his own personality, Hermann is perhaps not to be taken too seriously. But then a chance meeting with a man he believes to be his double reveals a frightening 'split' in Hermann's nature.

With shattering immediacy, Nabokov takes us into a deranged world, one full of an impudent, startling humour, dominated by the egotistical and scornful figure of a murderer who thinks himself an artist.

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Despair by Vladimir Nabokov is often praised for its dark humour and intricate narrative style. Critics appreciate Nabokov's exploration of existential themes and the protagonist's complex psychological portrait. Some reviews highlight its clever structure and the author's typical play with identity and reality.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141184548

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 November 2000

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 11.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 134g

Pages: 176

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Best Sellers at Book Hero Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction New Release Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction Series: Penguin Modern Classics Vladimir Nabokov

About the Author

Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977), born in St Petersburg, exiled in Cambridge, Berlin, and Paris, became the greatest Russian writer of the first half of the twentieth century. Fleeing to the US with his family in 1940, he then became the greatest writer in English of the second half of the century, and even 'God's own novelist' (William Deresiewicz). He lived in Europe from 1959 onwards, and died in Montreux, Switzerland. All his major works - novels, stories, an autobiography, poems, plays, lectures, essays and reviews - are published in Penguin Modern Classics.

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