Weird yet intriguing. ( )

it is forgivable that a book is merely empty; that its most powerful passage recounts the synopsis of a far superior nonexistent novel is unpardonable.

quilling quercus asap, of course ( )

This is a beautifully written metaphor for existential fear of death, but I became impatient with the main character, whom I found whiny. If I were rating for style I'd rate higher, but I'm rating for enjoyment. ( )

Sehr hübsch, aber genau dieses Feld hat Kafka schon mit schärferer (schwererer?) Egge beackert. ( )

Cincinnatus C. is condemned to death by beheading for "gnostical turpitude" - a crime that's imaginary and has no real definition. During his last days, Cincinnatus finds just how absurd his jail really is - his executioner masquerades as a fellow prisoner and digs holes between cells, a young girl runs and plays through the building, he's visited by his in-laws, who lug their entire furniture with this into his cell - through all of this, no one will tell Cincinnatus when he's execution will be!

As I seem to find a lot of older books to be, I had to take my time with the language of this book so that I could get the entire picture as to what was happening. There could be an entire scene going on and it would take me to the middle of it before I could connect what exactly was happening. Some of it had to do with all the craziness that was happening to begin with, but on the other side, I think it was just Nabokov's writing.

Once I would finally get comfortable in a scene though, the imagery was amazing. I can't get the scene where Cincinnatus speaks with his wife for the first time (and the entire family) out of my head. Nor can I get the ridiculousness of the director/jailor.

This is a novel my boyfriend suggested to me. He did give a fair warning that this might be a book I got nothing out of the first time around, but that it would be something I might pick up and read again later and find something completely new. I don't doubt that.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who would like a different take on the world through the eyes of Cincinnatus. Those who like Lewis Carroll's "Alice and Wonderland" and are a fan of Kafka would find this book right up their alley. ( )