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daddymax77's review against another edition
3.0
I liked Pnin the character a lot. His book however was full of a lot of allusions and languages with which I'm not familiar. If I were less lazy about it I suppose I could have read it with a companion commentary but that's a little more commitment than I'm ready to make for a leisure read. I liked the character, liked his exploits and observations, hated the (lack of) ending, and hated how dumb it made me feel at times.
danielchiazza's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ziggy_2112's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
ericfheiman's review against another edition
4.0
Grows on you as it goes along. Especially if you’re almost fifty and a college professor yourself.
secretsoda's review against another edition
5.0
What a treat to read. I was expecting a light hearted comedy. The book left me feeling profoundly empty and sad. Every sentence was deliciously written, full of rich vocabulary that did not seem out of place or contrived. Nabokov is a literary genius. Somehow I felt like I missed so many important details in such a short book. I could read this over and over while still learning new things. This is the mark of a great book to me.
ahucklesby's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mikelchartier's review against another edition
5.0
I believe Sheila put it best by saying "on long nights alone I fear that I am him"
madhukari's review against another edition
4.0
As always Nobakov's exquisitely beautiful prose dazzled and enchanted me. Pnin is a novel about a naive and sincere Russian émigré professor stuck in a toxic American workplace. Pnin reminded me of Prince Myshkin from Dostoevsky's The Idiot. The titular character was absolutely adorable. I have a soft spot for pathetic losers. My favorite scene was the one where Pnin identifies himself with the injured bird and breaks down in tears. Even in a world where naivety and sincerity equals idiocy, and is more than often rewarded with cruelty, hope the Pnins always remain tender hearted.
nataliedallaire's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lilytighe's review against another edition
i’ve missed nabokov’s writing but this one in particular made me feel quite stupid. i feel like i’ll need to reread this to fully take in / appreciate the amount of work but into this short and sweet book! pnin was a lovely little man to read about though.