Me and a friend have started to coordinate the books we read (like a book club but it’s just us) and one of the books we read last month was White Nights. While I was reading it I saw someone online call it a romance and hype it up like it had something significant to say about love. But to be honest, it read more like a comedy to me. I didn’t hate it, but I wasn’t a huge fan either.
The main character was boring, especially his stupid monologues. He sounds like a 14 year old boy who just watched a few Youtube videos on philosophy. The poor girl is just as stupid too, but at least her narration was more interesting both in terms of style and in terms of the content of what she was saying. I think my least favorite parts of this book was whenever the guy spoke (the entire book is written from his perspective though lol).
I did like some things though, like the fact that the girl grew up with a blind grandma, deaf maid, and mute tenant. I think this detail may have been deliberately written to convey her lack of experience about the “real world”. I also liked the gist of the story itself, that these two stupid people–a guy with no friends or no real passions or ambition and a girl with literally no real life experience–meet and ‘fall in love’ when really they’re both just lonely and desperate. I really loved the ending as well, even though I am personally not very supportive of Nastenka’s marriage. I liked that the main character did not have a name. I don’t really know why, but I just did. (I’m biased, maybe I just hated him).
Anyways, I’d still recommend this book, because it is a short read, and it is beautifully written. If anyone disagrees with me, please feel free to reply. I’d love to discuss.
by Piazytiabet