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The Original of Laura
The Original of Laura
Aug 18, 2025 8:55 PM

Author:Vladimir Nabokov,Dmitri Nabokov

The Original of Laura

The Original of Laura is Vladimir Nabokov'sfinal, incredible unfinished novel in fragments. Dr Philip Wild, a man of brilliance, wit, fortune and tremendous bulk, is used to suffering humiliations at the hands of his wife, the younger, slender, and rudely promiscuous Flora. But in a novel, a 'maddening masterpiece' documenting her infidelities, written by one of her lovers and given to the doctor, she appears as My Laura. Dishonoured, Wild still finds pleasure in life, by indulging in self-annihilation, beginning with the removal of his toes.

Reviews

A gripping story focusing on a complex marriage as it reaches crisis point.

—— Easy Living

Depicts the power struggles and compromises of a long marriage with bracing honesty.

—— Financial Times

Part love story, part forensic examination of the psyche, Tessa McWatt digs deep into what makes us human in this disturbing portrait of family life.

—— Camilla Gibb

Packed with fascinating insight ... It's a gripping read

—— Cynthia MacDonald , Globe & Mail

A mesmerizing read. . . . [A] beautiful book. . . . A story of such enigma and economy . . . She depicts the undulating landscape of an enduring marriage with poignancy and power . . . Vital Signs is a work of literature, criticism and philosophy all at once: A formidable intellectual hat trick. At the same time McWatt tells a sincere and simple tale, that like children, we wish would never end.

—— Donna Bailey Nurse , National Post

A wonderful, thoughtful tale about love, language and living.

—— Bella

Wildly entertaining, Ratlines is a superb mystery but in addition, a spotlight on a slice of Irish history largely ignored. This is a complex mystery told in the exceptional style that Stuart Neville has made his own. Jameson and Nazis, Irish rebel songs and Charles Haughey, it's a bold and brilliant blend

—— Ken Bruen

A superbly written, supremely intelligent thriller

—— Mail on Sunday

Absolute blockbuster – and one you won’t want to put down

—— Crime Review

Sittenfeld's humour and sharp observation deliver a coming-of-age novel you can relate to

—— Daily Express
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