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A review by lovelymisanthrope
Vladimir by Julia May Jonas
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I found a copy of this book at a Free Little Library and I was very excited to see what it was about.
"Vladimir" follows an unnamed female English professor during a highly turbulent time in her life. The professor's husband, also a professor, is about to face a trial because several women have come together to formally speak out against sexual advances made by him and his abuse of his position of power. Vladimir, a new professor to the university, has befriended him and our female protagonist has become enamored with Vladimir.
This story took me completely by surprise, and I really enjoyed every moment of it. There are definitely some difficult moments to read, but that is what made it all the more interesting to me.
There is a lot of commentary around the "me-too" movement because of the trial that is occurring in the story. The professor does not believe her husband did anything overtly wrong, which causes a lot of tension for her internally as well as between her and other characters. He may not have raped these women in the traditional sense, but he did use his position of power to get sexual favors. This consensus that this too is considered rape is difficult for the professor to understand because in her day that is not what rape was. Additionally, she knew about these relationships, and in some ways encouraged her husband to cheat, so she is really struggling to understand why this is such a big deal. I think this novel brings to light how older generations struggle with the "me-too" movement because to them, some of these cases are completely normalized. It does not make them right, but I think it helps us to approach this topic with more empathy.
The protagonist's infatuation with Vladimir is obsessive and a great parallel to what is occurring off the page with her husband. She objectifies Vladimir and stalks him. She becomes completely obsessed with him and wants to encourage an affair between the two of them to occur. It was unsettling, but a great reminder that women too can be just as inappropriate in their pursuits.
As a character, the protagonist was flawed deeply, but so interesting. I felt like most of the story was written as an inner monologue in her head, which differed greatly from what was happening off the page. Her perceptions about what people were doing and saying seemed so different from what we were actually reading on the page. She is unlikable, but almost relatable.
This novel remains in the gray area for the majority of the story, because the main point of view is very much in a gray area. This gave the novel an interesting blend of conflict and peace. The entire reading experience felt like we were moments away from a life-altering climax.
I do think the story ends up going off the rails a little bit at the end. It was entertaining to read, but it felt almost comical what events transpired. This also led to a resolution amongst the characters I am not sure I loved.
I am very excited to see what Julia May Jonas writes next.
"Vladimir" follows an unnamed female English professor during a highly turbulent time in her life. The professor's husband, also a professor, is about to face a trial because several women have come together to formally speak out against sexual advances made by him and his abuse of his position of power. Vladimir, a new professor to the university, has befriended him and our female protagonist has become enamored with Vladimir.
This story took me completely by surprise, and I really enjoyed every moment of it. There are definitely some difficult moments to read, but that is what made it all the more interesting to me.
There is a lot of commentary around the "me-too" movement because of the trial that is occurring in the story. The professor does not believe her husband did anything overtly wrong, which causes a lot of tension for her internally as well as between her and other characters. He may not have raped these women in the traditional sense, but he did use his position of power to get sexual favors. This consensus that this too is considered rape is difficult for the professor to understand because in her day that is not what rape was. Additionally, she knew about these relationships, and in some ways encouraged her husband to cheat, so she is really struggling to understand why this is such a big deal. I think this novel brings to light how older generations struggle with the "me-too" movement because to them, some of these cases are completely normalized. It does not make them right, but I think it helps us to approach this topic with more empathy.
The protagonist's infatuation with Vladimir is obsessive and a great parallel to what is occurring off the page with her husband. She objectifies Vladimir and stalks him. She becomes completely obsessed with him and wants to encourage an affair between the two of them to occur. It was unsettling, but a great reminder that women too can be just as inappropriate in their pursuits.
As a character, the protagonist was flawed deeply, but so interesting. I felt like most of the story was written as an inner monologue in her head, which differed greatly from what was happening off the page. Her perceptions about what people were doing and saying seemed so different from what we were actually reading on the page. She is unlikable, but almost relatable.
This novel remains in the gray area for the majority of the story, because the main point of view is very much in a gray area. This gave the novel an interesting blend of conflict and peace. The entire reading experience felt like we were moments away from a life-altering climax.
I do think the story ends up going off the rails a little bit at the end. It was entertaining to read, but it felt almost comical what events transpired. This also led to a resolution amongst the characters I am not sure I loved.
I am very excited to see what Julia May Jonas writes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy