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lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I found a copy of this book at a Free Little Library and I was very excited to see what it was about.
"Vladimir" follows an unnamed female English professor during a highly turbulent time in her life. The professor's husband, also a professor, is about to face a trial because several women have come together to formally speak out against sexual advances made by him and his abuse of his position of power. Vladimir, a new professor to the university, has befriended him and our female protagonist has become enamored with Vladimir.
This story took me completely by surprise, and I really enjoyed every moment of it. There are definitely some difficult moments to read, but that is what made it all the more interesting to me.
There is a lot of commentary around the "me-too" movement because of the trial that is occurring in the story. The professor does not believe her husband did anything overtly wrong, which causes a lot of tension for her internally as well as between her and other characters. He may not have raped these women in the traditional sense, but he did use his position of power to get sexual favors. This consensus that this too is considered rape is difficult for the professor to understand because in her day that is not what rape was. Additionally, she knew about these relationships, and in some ways encouraged her husband to cheat, so she is really struggling to understand why this is such a big deal. I think this novel brings to light how older generations struggle with the "me-too" movement because to them, some of these cases are completely normalized. It does not make them right, but I think it helps us to approach this topic with more empathy.
The protagonist's infatuation with Vladimir is obsessive and a great parallel to what is occurring off the page with her husband. She objectifies Vladimir and stalks him. She becomes completely obsessed with him and wants to encourage an affair between the two of them to occur. It was unsettling, but a great reminder that women too can be just as inappropriate in their pursuits.
As a character, the protagonist was flawed deeply, but so interesting. I felt like most of the story was written as an inner monologue in her head, which differed greatly from what was happening off the page. Her perceptions about what people were doing and saying seemed so different from what we were actually reading on the page. She is unlikable, but almost relatable.
This novel remains in the gray area for the majority of the story, because the main point of view is very much in a gray area. This gave the novel an interesting blend of conflict and peace. The entire reading experience felt like we were moments away from a life-altering climax.
I do think the story ends up going off the rails a little bit at the end. It was entertaining to read, but it felt almost comical what events transpired. This also led to a resolution amongst the characters I am not sure I loved.
I am very excited to see what Julia May Jonas writes next.
"Vladimir" follows an unnamed female English professor during a highly turbulent time in her life. The professor's husband, also a professor, is about to face a trial because several women have come together to formally speak out against sexual advances made by him and his abuse of his position of power. Vladimir, a new professor to the university, has befriended him and our female protagonist has become enamored with Vladimir.
This story took me completely by surprise, and I really enjoyed every moment of it. There are definitely some difficult moments to read, but that is what made it all the more interesting to me.
There is a lot of commentary around the "me-too" movement because of the trial that is occurring in the story. The professor does not believe her husband did anything overtly wrong, which causes a lot of tension for her internally as well as between her and other characters. He may not have raped these women in the traditional sense, but he did use his position of power to get sexual favors. This consensus that this too is considered rape is difficult for the professor to understand because in her day that is not what rape was. Additionally, she knew about these relationships, and in some ways encouraged her husband to cheat, so she is really struggling to understand why this is such a big deal. I think this novel brings to light how older generations struggle with the "me-too" movement because to them, some of these cases are completely normalized. It does not make them right, but I think it helps us to approach this topic with more empathy.
The protagonist's infatuation with Vladimir is obsessive and a great parallel to what is occurring off the page with her husband. She objectifies Vladimir and stalks him. She becomes completely obsessed with him and wants to encourage an affair between the two of them to occur. It was unsettling, but a great reminder that women too can be just as inappropriate in their pursuits.
As a character, the protagonist was flawed deeply, but so interesting. I felt like most of the story was written as an inner monologue in her head, which differed greatly from what was happening off the page. Her perceptions about what people were doing and saying seemed so different from what we were actually reading on the page. She is unlikable, but almost relatable.
This novel remains in the gray area for the majority of the story, because the main point of view is very much in a gray area. This gave the novel an interesting blend of conflict and peace. The entire reading experience felt like we were moments away from a life-altering climax.
I do think the story ends up going off the rails a little bit at the end. It was entertaining to read, but it felt almost comical what events transpired. This also led to a resolution amongst the characters I am not sure I loved.
I am very excited to see what Julia May Jonas writes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol, Drug use, Stalking, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Pregnancy
toriauricht's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Infidelity, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping
ivi_reads_books's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Even though I found the main female character unlikeable I was intruiged by her. Presenting as a woman with liberal values while secretly being quite conservative. It was an interesting insight into the mind of a woman who doesn't truely support other women.
Where the book lost me was about 3/4 of the way through when the plot and the main characters became unbelievable
Where the book lost me was about 3/4 of the way through when the plot and the main characters became unbelievable
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Sexism, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Drug use, and Drug abuse
snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Addiction
jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Addiction, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt
rainbowarpaint's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Medical trauma, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
kekeli's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual harassment
issyd23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Immensely captivating with a disappointing & rushed ending. Gives ‘I Love Dick’ by Chris Kraus energy 3❤️🔥
NB Personally disagreed with 90% of the protagonists’ thoughts & actions + her critiques of feminism, consent & cancel culture in a post me too era - but worth reading.
NB Personally disagreed with 90% of the protagonists’ thoughts & actions + her critiques of feminism, consent & cancel culture in a post me too era - but worth reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexism, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Suicide, Stalking, Misogyny, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug use, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Racism, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Toxic relationship
jesshindes's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'm fairly ambivalent on campus novels - I think I over-indulged on them when I was in my late teens and about to go to uni, plus I have read enough 'English prof has an affair with a student' books to last a lifetime - but I saw Vladimir on offer in an indie bookshop, and someone I follow on Twitter had recommended it enthusiastically, so I ordered it anyway.
I ended up enjoying it. Yes, the story *does* feature a male English prof who is going through a disciplinary after five past students have reevaluated their relationships with him in the light of #metoo; but Jonas's novel benefits from taking the perspective, not of the philandering academic, but of his wife. Our unnamed protagonist is 58 and re-evaluating her relationship in light of recent developments; although this is complicated by the fact that they've had an open marriage and she both knew about and sanctioned her husband's involvements. Another complication arrives in the form of Vladimir, a new recruit to the English department, up-and-coming novelist, and hunk. It doesn't take long for our narrator to develop an all-consuming crush.
What I liked best about 'Vladimir' was its ability to surprise me. I didn't know what was going to happen - with the marriage, with Vladimir, with the protagonist's job - and on several occasions the novel turned in a direction I didn't expect. This was particularly true in the final section, which took a turn towards the thriller and which I could have done with even more of. More generally, I felt like the characters and their relationships consistently got beyond the stereotypes into which they could easily have settled, which obviously amped up my enjoyment; and finally, I really appreciated the humour. The novel doesn't take itself completely seriously (I'd probably call it black comedy?) and I liked that Jonas wasn't afraid to be either silly or bizarre.
The reservations that I had were mostly around the novel's beliefs, or thesis, or whatever you'd call that. I don't expect everything I read to be a polemic (not much fun) but I read the novel as being broadly ~about the relationship between gender and power, and how that plays out in all sorts of ways in this environment of a fairly fancy liberal arts college in the north-east of the USA. Because the narrator is an older woman, she lacks certain kinds of power (and she's obsessed by aging, its effects on her body and her desirability); her relationship to her husband has complicated implications for her own standing within the university; and the students, represented as politically engaged but somewhat naive, clamouring for social justice without maybe a full understanding of its nuances (or at least, their understanding conflicts with the narrator's) both wield and lack power in their own ways. I did appreciate that the narrator (and by implication, Jonas) made efforts not to dismiss the students' concerns around emotional safety (safe spaces, trigger warnings) even while the novel challenges some of these ideas' underpinning assumptions. I enjoyed the way that the see-saw of power tilted back and forth during the final sequence particularly; and there's some neat work whereby Jonas shows up some of the narrator's own biases, minimisations, and misconceptions around sexism, sexual assault and her own experiences in the academy. Still, I don't know that I could say with conviction what the novel's ultimate opinion on most of the issues it deals with might be, except for, 'hooboy, this is complicated'. That's legitimate, but it's not especially punchy.
Overall, there were enough things I liked about the novel that I would recommend it - especially for the narrator, who was complex and funny - but I feel like there was another darker, weirder book somewhere inside of this. It emerges in flashes towards the end of the novel, particularly; but I'd love to have seen what it looked like fully-realised.
I ended up enjoying it. Yes, the story *does* feature a male English prof who is going through a disciplinary after five past students have reevaluated their relationships with him in the light of #metoo; but Jonas's novel benefits from taking the perspective, not of the philandering academic, but of his wife. Our unnamed protagonist is 58 and re-evaluating her relationship in light of recent developments; although this is complicated by the fact that they've had an open marriage and she both knew about and sanctioned her husband's involvements. Another complication arrives in the form of Vladimir, a new recruit to the English department, up-and-coming novelist, and hunk. It doesn't take long for our narrator to develop an all-consuming crush.
What I liked best about 'Vladimir' was its ability to surprise me. I didn't know what was going to happen - with the marriage, with Vladimir, with the protagonist's job - and on several occasions the novel turned in a direction I didn't expect. This was particularly true in the final section, which took a turn towards the thriller and which I could have done with even more of. More generally, I felt like the characters and their relationships consistently got beyond the stereotypes into which they could easily have settled, which obviously amped up my enjoyment; and finally, I really appreciated the humour. The novel doesn't take itself completely seriously (I'd probably call it black comedy?) and I liked that Jonas wasn't afraid to be either silly or bizarre.
The reservations that I had were mostly around the novel's beliefs, or thesis, or whatever you'd call that. I don't expect everything I read to be a polemic (not much fun) but I read the novel as being broadly ~about the relationship between gender and power, and how that plays out in all sorts of ways in this environment of a fairly fancy liberal arts college in the north-east of the USA. Because the narrator is an older woman, she lacks certain kinds of power (and she's obsessed by aging, its effects on her body and her desirability); her relationship to her husband has complicated implications for her own standing within the university; and the students, represented as politically engaged but somewhat naive, clamouring for social justice without maybe a full understanding of its nuances (or at least, their understanding conflicts with the narrator's) both wield and lack power in their own ways. I did appreciate that the narrator (and by implication, Jonas) made efforts not to dismiss the students' concerns around emotional safety (safe spaces, trigger warnings) even while the novel challenges some of these ideas' underpinning assumptions. I enjoyed the way that the see-saw of power tilted back and forth during the final sequence particularly; and there's some neat work whereby Jonas shows up some of the narrator's own biases, minimisations, and misconceptions around sexism, sexual assault and her own experiences in the academy. Still, I don't know that I could say with conviction what the novel's ultimate opinion on most of the issues it deals with might be, except for, 'hooboy, this is complicated'. That's legitimate, but it's not especially punchy.
Overall, there were enough things I liked about the novel that I would recommend it - especially for the narrator, who was complex and funny - but I feel like there was another darker, weirder book somewhere inside of this. It emerges in flashes towards the end of the novel, particularly; but I'd love to have seen what it looked like fully-realised.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual assault and Alcohol
jkneebone's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Vladimir takes place at a time of personal upheaval for the unnamed narrator. She, like her husband, is a tenured English professor at a small college in upstate New York. They have long enjoyed an "unconventional" marriage - e.g. affairs are allowed - but their life together is put under a microscope when a petition circulates calling for her husband's removal. Prior to relationships between teachers and students being explicitly banned by the school, her husband John had several consensual relationships with of-age students who now, as adults, feel they were taken advantage of. Our narrator feels that these women are overreacting - didn't everyone want to sleep with their professors in college? Why are they complaining about a power differential when John's power was what attracted them to him? - but nonetheless, her life is impacted by the accusations. Outsiders, unaware that she knew about the affairs, see her as the victimized wife. Students - and her own daughter - encourage her to leave her husband. Her colleagues question whether she should continue teaching while John's dismissal hearing is happening.
At the same time, a new professor has joined the English department: Vladimir. The narrator quickly becomes obsessed with Vladimir - she reads his book and admires his writing, she lusts after him, she has conflicting emotions about his troubled wife Cynthia (the narrator likes her, and wishes she didn't), she schemes to find time to be alone with him, and finally she takes action - and not necessarily in a good way.
With plenty of discussion of academia, power dynamics, gender roles and gendered relationships, changing standards and generational differences in views on representation, taboo subjects, etc., Vladimir is ripe with plenty to discuss. There are also literature references aplenty, and our narrator's own literary aspirations as her obsession with Vladimir inspires her to write for the first time in decades serves as a background plot.
Julia May Jonas intentionally demonstrates the narrator's hypocrisy through the contradictions of her life: she is a feminist and knows she should care less about her appearance, but is obsessed with her own aging and the way it has made her less beautiful, especially in comparison to still-youthful colleagues and students. She prides herself on her "unconventional" marriage, but still falls into her expected societal role as a wife - she cooks, cleans, raised their daughter, and worries that her husband (never published) is jealous of the two books she has written.
Although I recognized what Jonas was trying to do with these contradictions, for me this is where the novel fell short. Perhaps I'm just too young to relate to the internal dialogue and struggle of the narrator, but I spent too much of the book wondering why she hadn't already left her husband, or made him do his share of the housework, if she found him so annoying and was so checked out of their relationship. I didn't particularly enjoy reading over and over about how the narrator found herself unattractive and disgusting. Although I recognize that I'm part of the generation Jonas/the narrator is poking at in the book, and therefore endeavored to keep an open mind, I still struggled some with how the narrator downplayed her husband's actions.
The story was very fast-paced, and I finished the audiobook in a matter of days because it was so engaging. There is plenty to talk about, especially for English-y, academic-y people. The narrator's obsession with Vladimir could have been pushed further given that it is the central conceit of the book - there were entire sections where we didn't see Vladimir at all. Personally the ending wasn't too my taste, but I understood how it fit into what I think the author was trying to do.
At the same time, a new professor has joined the English department: Vladimir. The narrator quickly becomes obsessed with Vladimir - she reads his book and admires his writing, she lusts after him, she has conflicting emotions about his troubled wife Cynthia (the narrator likes her, and wishes she didn't), she schemes to find time to be alone with him, and finally she takes action - and not necessarily in a good way.
With plenty of discussion of academia, power dynamics, gender roles and gendered relationships, changing standards and generational differences in views on representation, taboo subjects, etc., Vladimir is ripe with plenty to discuss. There are also literature references aplenty, and our narrator's own literary aspirations as her obsession with Vladimir inspires her to write for the first time in decades serves as a background plot.
Julia May Jonas intentionally demonstrates the narrator's hypocrisy through the contradictions of her life: she is a feminist and knows she should care less about her appearance, but is obsessed with her own aging and the way it has made her less beautiful, especially in comparison to still-youthful colleagues and students. She prides herself on her "unconventional" marriage, but still falls into her expected societal role as a wife - she cooks, cleans, raised their daughter, and worries that her husband (never published) is jealous of the two books she has written.
Although I recognized what Jonas was trying to do with these contradictions, for me this is where the novel fell short. Perhaps I'm just too young to relate to the internal dialogue and struggle of the narrator, but I spent too much of the book wondering why she hadn't already left her husband, or made him do his share of the housework, if she found him so annoying and was so checked out of their relationship. I didn't particularly enjoy reading over and over about how the narrator found herself unattractive and disgusting. Although I recognize that I'm part of the generation Jonas/the narrator is poking at in the book, and therefore endeavored to keep an open mind, I still struggled some with how the narrator downplayed her husband's actions.
The story was very fast-paced, and I finished the audiobook in a matter of days because it was so engaging. There is plenty to talk about, especially for English-y, academic-y people. The narrator's obsession with Vladimir could have been pushed further given that it is the central conceit of the book - there were entire sections where we didn't see Vladimir at all. Personally the ending wasn't too my taste, but I understood how it fit into what I think the author was trying to do.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual harassment