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Jan 21, 2018laphampeak rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
An excellent read! The main character and narrator, Luzhin, grew up as a somewhat "damaged" boy. He withdrew from the norms of socialization and human interaction. Chess became his refuge. His life, thoughts, and actions became calculated chess moves where people were telling interpretations of one another. Navokov brilliantly brings the reader in sync with the energy of Luzhin's emotions. For example, " the whole chess field quivered with tension, and over this tension he was sovereign, here gathering in and there releasing electric power." Chess pieces (people) may be poets, actors, even journalists. Small nuances reflect the inner thinking of Luzhin - "Petrov walks with small careful steps trying not to bump into anything"..... Chess, as savior to Luchin's "raison d' etre", eventually leads to his demise all giving the readers an emphatic sigh at the end.