Vladimir Nabokov

Annotations by Alexey Sklyarenko

Description

Please read Alexey Sklyarenko's annotations on Pale FireAda and other Nabokov works here.

By Alexey Sklyarenko, 13 May, 2022

In VN’s novel Zashchita Luzhina (“The Luzhin Defense,” 1930) it is a black-bearded peasant from the water mill, future inhabitant of Luzhin’s future nightmares, who carries the boy (who is afraid of school and attempts to hide himself in the attic of his parents’ country house) down from the attic to the carriage:

 

By Alexey Sklyarenko, 12 May, 2022

In his apologetic note to Lucette (in VN’s novel Ada, 1969, Van’s and Ada’s half-sister) written after the dinner in 'Ursus' and debauch à trois in Van's Manhattan flat Van Veen (the narrator and main character in Ada) calls Lucette "BOP (bird of paradise):"

 

By Alexey Sklyarenko, 11 May, 2022

Describing his debauch à trois with Ada and Lucette (Van’s and Ada’s half-sister) after the dinner in Ursus (the best Franco-Estotian restaurant in Manhattan Major), Van Veen (the narrator and main character in VN’s novel Ada, 1969) mentions Ada’s red-lacquered talons:

 

By Alexey Sklyarenko, 10 May, 2022

Describing the difference between Terra and Antiterra (aka Demonia, Earth's twin planet on which VN’s novel Ada, 1969, is set), Van Veen Veen (the narrator and main character in Ada) says that our enchanters, our demons, are noble iridescent creatures with translucent talons and mightily beating wings: