Book Review: One of Nabokov's earliest novels, translated from the Russian. Reflecting the author's interest in chess, it's the story of a Russian chess master (Luzhin, rhymes with illusion, hmm?) with a troubled childhood who is touched by madness. Familiarity with chess is not required. Brilliantly described, beautifully written. The book has a bit of Freudian analysis (tho Nabokov claimed not to be a Freudian): Luzhin learns chess from his attractive aunt, who's also his father's mistress. Despite his success, he's a perpetual disappointment to his father. The obsessive master (now living in Berlin) while playing the most important game of his career, becomes torn, wavering between life and chess, with time the only constant between the two, desperately seeking a balance. I thought the book meandered occasionally, tho in fairness (after all, he's Nabokov and I'm not) perhaps that was to illustrate the madness. Here you can see the seeds of Nabokov the writer and the masterpieces to come. The final paragraph blew me away. [4 Stars]
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