Pale FirePale Fire
Score Classic
What it's about
Pale Fire is a novel in the form of a 999-line poem by the late American poet John Shade, published with a foreword, commentary and index by his neighbor, Charles Kinbote. As Kinbote's notes go on, it becomes clear they have little to do with the poem. Instead, they tell the story of Zembla, a distant northern kingdom, its deposed king, and an assassin sent to find him, and Kinbote may not be who he seems.
Why it's worth reading
It's on both TIME's list of the best novels and the Modern Library's. It's one of the cleverest and funniest novels ever written, a puzzle you can read in several different ways.
You'll love it if you liked
Lolita
Ficciones
The Name of the RoseGood to know
It's playful but demanding, and works best for readers who enjoy puzzles. Read the poem first, then the commentary, flipping back and forth as you like.
By the numbers
- Readers75 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics83 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller29 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #29 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #72 of the 762 classics we rank
- #224 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Vladimir Nabokov
If you like this, read next
The Color Purple
The Caine Mutiny
East of Eden
I, Claudius
A Room of One's Own
Angle of ReposeExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Pale Fire worth reading?
Yes. It's on both TIME's list of the best novels and the Modern Library's. It ranks #224 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Pale Fire about?
Pale Fire is a novel in the form of a 999-line poem by the late American poet John Shade, published with a foreword, commentary and index by his neighbor, Charles Kinbote. As Kinbote's notes go on, it becomes clear they have little to do with the poem. Instead, they tell the story of Zembla, a distant northern kingdom, its deposed king, and an assassin sent to find him, and Kinbote may not be who he seems.
How long does it take to read Pale Fire?
About 7 hours (282 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Pale Fire?
If you liked it, try Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges or The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco.