Invitation to a Beheading
Description
In an unnamed dream country, a young man named Cincinnatus C. faces execution for the bewildering crime of "gnostical turpitude"—an offense so absurd it defies rational explanation. Confined to a surreal prison populated by bizarre jailers, deceptive officials, and intrusive relatives who bring their furniture into his cell, Cincinnatus endures his final days in a world governed by illogic and nightmare. As Nabokov masterfully weaves together elements of philosophical inquiry and dark comedy, the novel explores themes of individual will, reality, and resistance against an incomprehensible system. In a stunning climax that defies conventional narrative logic, Cincinnatus discovers a power that transcends the irrational world imprisoning him. This haunting, inventive work stands as a profound meditation on freedom and the nature of existence itself.
Available Editions
paperback
Vintage
Published Sep 19, 1989
241 pages
ISBN: 9780679725312
paperback
Penguin Books Ltd
Published Apr 26, 2001
192 pages
ISBN: 9780141185606
Reviews
No ratings yet. Be the first!
No written reviews yet.
Details
First Published
1938
Language
eng
Translation
Original: Приглашение на казнь (Priglashenie na kazn')
From: rus
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for Invitation to a Beheading by Vladimir Nabokov.