Vladimir
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- £7.99
Publisher Description
A Sunday Times Paperback of the Year
'An astonishing debut . . . I was utterly hooked . . . by this twisty, sexy, shocking treat of a novel . . . How on earth will Julia May Jonas better this?' – The Sunday Times
A provocative, razor-sharp, and timely novel about a beloved English professor facing a slew of accusations against her husband from his former students – a situation that becomes more complicated when she herself develops an obsession of her own . . .
When I was a child, I loved old men, and I could tell that they also loved me.
And so we meet our deliciously incisive narrator: a popular English professor whose husband, a charismatic professor at the same small liberal arts college, is under investigation for his inappropriate relationships with his former students. The couple have long had a mutual understanding when it comes to their extramarital pursuits, but with these new allegations, life has become far less comfortable for them both.
And when our unnamed narrator becomes increasingly infatuated with Vladimir, a celebrated, married young novelist who’s just arrived on campus, their tinder-box world comes dangerously close to exploding.
Julia May Jonas takes us into charged territory, where the restrictions of morality bump up against the impulses of the human heart. Darkly funny and moving, Vladimir maps the personal and political minefield of our current moment, exposing the messy contradictions of power and desire.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Julia May Jonas’ smart and provocative debut explores issues of desire, aging, creativity, and even morality. The novel’s unnamed narrator is a fiftysomething English professor who’s dissatisfied with her life, especially now that her husband has become mired in a #metoo scandal. But when a promising younger writer named Vladimir Vladinski joins the faculty, Jonas’ heroine finds her emotions—and creative juices—all stirred up. Jonas drops us right into the head of her stunningly imperfect narrator and gives us access to her deepest secrets, including the details of her unconventional marriage and the nitty-gritty of her insecurities, jealousies and lustful thoughts. Vladimir is an intense, gripping read that feels fresh and modern. We can’t wait to read Jonas’ next book.
