White Nights

As someone who will happily be the first one to criticize a love story, I enjoyed this romance. 

When I was studying creative writing in Paris last summer, a friend recommended this book when we were talking about our favorite literary classics and I am SO glad she did. Although it’s one of the shortest books I’ve read–82 pages–it was definitely one of the most memorable, which is even more astounding given its simple premise.

The novella takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia in the late 1840s. The protagonist and narrator–who is unnamed throughout the story–lives a lonely life in the city, with only his imagination to keep him company. 

But one night, while brooding about how no one invited him to a summer getaway, he meets a young woman crying near the canal. When the young woman–Nastenka–is harassed by a drunk man, the protagonist intervenes and offers to walk her home. She is intrigued by the lonely dreamer and promises to meet him again on the condition that he doesn’t fall in love with her. The two connect over their shared loneliness, and the protagonist worries if he can keep his promise.

The main reason I liked this story so much is that the interactions between the main character and Nastenka don’t feel unrealistic or romanticized, which seems to be the norm in most books and movies. While Nastenka’s sheltered backstory is a little dramatic (if you know, you know) they understand each other’s lonely suffering and yearn for a genuine human connection. 

I know that this feels like a half-finished summary, but I don’t want to go any deeper into the plot and risk spoiling the story. I was lucky enough to know nothing about the plot when I read it, and I hope you can say the same. 

Something I didn’t know until I started researching this novella is that the title “White Nights” refers to a natural phenomenon that occurs during the summer in Russia where the sun doesn’t fully set below the horizon. The sky is stuck in twilight that is too bright to be considered a night sky, but also too dark to still be daylight. It’s almost like the sky is trapped in a purgatory, and doesn’t quite fit into either group. This theme ties back to the unnamed protagonist, who’s all by himself in a crowded city. Although he experiences the everyday norms of a busy city, he still feels the mental and emotional pain that someone would feel in isolation.

Anyway, that’s my spoiler-free take on Dostoyevsky’s White Nights. I know that reading classics–especially the ones written before the 20th century–can be daunting and feel like only a small elite group of intellectuals can enjoy it, but that is NOT the case for White Nights. The prose is simple and easy to understand and has several themes of loneliness and isolation that most people today can relate to. So race to your local bookstore or library, pick up a copy, and enjoy this timeless classic while you still can. 

Thanks again for stopping by and happy reading!