622. Ada

Ada
Vladimir Nabokov
1969
Around 610 pages

Nabokov is never afraid to make us uncomfortable, and unfortunately, this is the last time he will ever squick me out with his characters' sexuality. I going to miss that man, although I will keep that to myself, because people seem creeped out that I like him. Without further ado, here's my official Nabokov ranking:

1. Lolita

2. Ada

3. Pnin

4. Pale Fire

Just to be extra, Nabokov's story takes place in an alternate universe, where Earth is called Antiterra. To put it simply, Antiterra, or Demonia, is a complicated blend of Russia and the United States in the nineteenth and twentieth century. The novel tells the story of Van Veen and his lifelong affair with his sister Ada, which begins when he is 14 and she is 11. 

Historically, I have not always enjoyed works that are so disjointed and fantastical. But I found this much more readable than anything Joyce or Rushdie ever came out with. Nabokov has such a unique perspective, being a citizen of the world, and I thought it was brilliant he created his own universe, which was more much of a melting pot than the real America is. His reflections on the nature of time rival Proust (sorry Marcel). Van was highly reminiscent of Humbert Humbert, with more of his layers unpeeled.. Nabokov is clearly a genius, but I don't feel like he has the smugness of other writers. He trusts his readers enough to leave many things unsaid, knowing we will be able to deduce what happened based on the emotions of his characters.

Unlike some of the other shock jocks on this List, Nabokov's novels were always incredibly complex and meaningful. This is one of those works that you could visit again and again, and gain something new from every reread. It's so satisfying when an author's masterpiece is their last entry on the List. Talk about going out with a bang.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Nabokov was a self-described synesthete.

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