Vladimir: A Novel

By Julia May Jonas

NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX TV SERIES STARRING RACHEL WEISZ, LEO WOODALL, AND JOHN SLATTERY, WITH SHARON HORGAN AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER An NPR, Washington Post, Time, People, Vulture, Guardian, Vox, Kirkus Reviews, Newsweek, LitHub, and New York Public Library Best Book of the Year * “Delightful…cathartic, devious, and terrifically entertaining.” —The New York Times * “Timely, whip-smart, and darkly funny.” —People (Book of the Week) * One of Shondaland’s 13 Best College-Set Novels of All Time A provocative, razor-sharp, and timely debut novel about a beloved English professor facing a slew of accusations against her professor husband by 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 are introduced to our narrator who’s “a work of art in herself” (The Washington Post): a popular English professor whose charismatic husband 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 extra-marital pursuits, but with these new allegations, life has become far less comfortable for them both. And when our 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. “Timely, whip-smart, and darkly funny” (People), Vladimir takes us into charged territory, where the boundaries of morality bump up against the impulses of the human heart. This edgy, uncommonly assured debut perfectly captures the personal and political minefield of our current moment, exposing the nuances and the grey area between power and desire.

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Published Jan 31, 2023

272 pages

Average rating: 6.95

59 RATINGS

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Readers say *Vladimir* by Julia May Jonas delivers a thought-provoking exploration of identity politics and power dynamics, especially within academia...

thenextgoodbook
8/10 stars
thenextgoodbook.com

First question- who chose this cover art? This book was so much better than the cover represents. Julia May Jonas got some bad advice here.... Don't let the cover fool you.

Full review on the site...
IzabelaT
8/10 stars
I am in love with this book, the author's way of describing the most intimate aspects of life, the author's directness with picking up words to talk about "taboo" topics. I am in love and I love it!!!
Hannah C
8/10 stars
LOVED the prose and writing in this book, though at times it felt a bit self-indulgent (I did learn a few new words!). It was a really enjoyable, quick read.

the story was well-paced and offered interesting perspectives on the dynamics between women and control — the push and pull between the need to be in control and the desire to let go. The characters were well-developed and were used effectively in story-telling. Overall, I just had a really fun time reading this book
colleen
8/10 stars
I loved the writing style
kcreadsabook
4/10 stars
College professor tries to defend her husband for sleeping with students. Overall was kind of boring.

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