Reading 12: "Spring in Fialta"

The first thing I noticed about "Spring in Fialta" by Vladimir Nabokov was how descriptive the language is. Immediately I could picture the location, the day, even the feeling I would get standing outside in the damp weather. It made me think of the things you observe when you're traveling; all of a sudden the things you don't consider or notice at home are viewed in a new light. I also thought the author wrote familiarity between people quite well. The relationship between Nina and Victor, though brief and withstanding long periods of time, is written with warmth and life. Though Victor cares more for Nina than she for him, the type of frivolous intimacy presented is very clear. I think this story also addresses the idea of a "soulmate" or a "first love" in a thinly veiled manner. It has a bittersweet feeling masked within the text.