The Eye
Clever
Heartbreaking
Depressing

The Eye

Smurov, a fussily self-conscious Russian tutor, shoots himself after a humiliating beating by his mistress' husband. Unsure whether his suicide has been successful or not, Smurov drifts around Berlin, observing his acquaintances, but finds he can discover very little about his own life from the opinions of his distracted, confused fellow-émigrés. Nabokov's shortest novel, The Eye is both a satirical detective story and a wonderfully layered exploration of identity, appearance and the loss of self in a world of word-play and confusion.
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Reviews

Photo of Bibi
Bibi@lotusroot
2 stars
Jun 21, 2025
Edgy
Avant-garde
Photo of laila
laila@esudevie
3 stars
Feb 22, 2025
This review contains a spoiler
Deceptive
Easy read
Depressing
Heartbreaking
Photo of Kai
Kai@mieikafka
3.5 stars
Feb 22, 2025
Clever
Intelligent
Heartbreaking
Photo of Georgia Nasseh
Georgia Nasseh@georgianasseh
3 stars
Dec 28, 2024
Photo of Kris
Kris @kishandev
3 stars
Mar 31, 2022