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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
ETA: Updating this twelve year old review to post a link to the extremely great Lolita Podcast by Jamie Loftus, which does SO MUCH for properly contextualizing this book and exploring what Nabokov was going for and the cultural fallout, including the absolutely upside down and infuriating way most people view Dolores Haze, and frame Humbert Humbert as a romantic instead of an abuser. Anyone who has read this book or is going to read this book should listen to this podcast.
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This book is a tar pit, full of good and beautiful things, but only because it sucked them up and smothered them. It's easy to get lost in Humbert Humbert's sick world because Nabokov's narrative voice is so engaging, but the beautiful words are dimmed by disgusting sentiments. I have never felt so unclean while reading a book, and I'm no prude. I watch Spartacus: Blood and Sand.
I also want to use a time machine to travel back in time and tell Mr. Nabokov that he shouldn't have used the word "down" so much in reference to Lolita, if at all. She's a pre-pubescent, not a duck.
- - -
This book is a tar pit, full of good and beautiful things, but only because it sucked them up and smothered them. It's easy to get lost in Humbert Humbert's sick world because Nabokov's narrative voice is so engaging, but the beautiful words are dimmed by disgusting sentiments. I have never felt so unclean while reading a book, and I'm no prude. I watch Spartacus: Blood and Sand.
I also want to use a time machine to travel back in time and tell Mr. Nabokov that he shouldn't have used the word "down" so much in reference to Lolita, if at all. She's a pre-pubescent, not a duck.
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hard to get past the subject matter, but ultimately glad i finished it
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For me, Nabokov's language is what makes this book so good. Manipulative, sarcastic, absurd and poetic - in short: brilliant. Our unreliable narrator Humbert Humbert tells his version of the story so convincingly that I sometimes almost forgot how disturbing his behaviour actually is. Again and again I had to shake my head with a smile while reading.
At this point I have to thank my reading club, which enriched my reading experience here in particular; time and again Humbert was exposed by the others and I thought "Shit, that's right, I didn't even notice that" (shame on me). It was only through the exchange in the club that I really realised how much Nabokov plays with this manipulative narrative style.
Which brings me to another point: I wasn't always completely with it, unfortunately. Maybe it was just me, but I found Lolita quite tough in places. I kept catching myself just wanting to finish the book... And now that I have, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief and have to say that I'm really glad it's over!
At this point I have to thank my reading club, which enriched my reading experience here in particular; time and again Humbert was exposed by the others and I thought "Shit, that's right, I didn't even notice that" (shame on me). It was only through the exchange in the club that I really realised how much Nabokov plays with this manipulative narrative style.
Which brings me to another point: I wasn't always completely with it, unfortunately. Maybe it was just me, but I found Lolita quite tough in places. I kept catching myself just wanting to finish the book... And now that I have, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief and have to say that I'm really glad it's over!
challenging
dark
funny
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death
For Years I have wanted to read Lolita but it has taken me until now to do so. It is extremly well written and very early in the story you get drawn in.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov get a 9.9/10 stars.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov get a 9.9/10 stars.
I found this one quite difficult to get through.
The writing style is quite dense and at times I found myself a little confused about what was happening if I'm honest however I did still enjoy the story.
The writing style is quite dense and at times I found myself a little confused about what was happening if I'm honest however I did still enjoy the story.