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There's no real reason I can find that can lead to me liking this book at all except for the biggest, most obvious, and unavoidable reason - it's unbelievably, astoundingly well written. Nabokov had one hell of a mind and an enviable talent for languages/story telling. While my reason for not giving it five stars should also be the reason I do give it five - the fact that so many passages of H's perverted utterings had me sick to my stomach, a testament to the writer's power - I simply cannot give it five because, for all it's tragic beauty, I use this term vaguely, it still leaves a lingering feeling of 'je ne sais quoi' (forgive the trite French) within my psyche that I don't quite enjoy its now being there. A 'love story' (I testify Humbert Humbert loved himself and his delusions above all else) this may be, but it's also dark, demented, deranged, and more fucked than any shit I have read to date in its profound dealing with broken and warped human interactions.
In the end the book had me asking simply, why? Why did Nabokov saturate himself in the delusions and ideations of such a horrific character (not that monsters in literature are uncommon, but his is particularly monstrous), and why pedophilia? Maybe it's a testament that murder isn't a theme that shocks in literature so he descended into depths much more revolting to garner attention for his literary chops. Any way you slice it, I admire his skills, but I will actively be turning down any future book concerning topics such as this, it would only be another glimpse into the depraved mind I never want to see again.
In the end the book had me asking simply, why? Why did Nabokov saturate himself in the delusions and ideations of such a horrific character (not that monsters in literature are uncommon, but his is particularly monstrous), and why pedophilia? Maybe it's a testament that murder isn't a theme that shocks in literature so he descended into depths much more revolting to garner attention for his literary chops. Any way you slice it, I admire his skills, but I will actively be turning down any future book concerning topics such as this, it would only be another glimpse into the depraved mind I never want to see again.
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't know if you can really ALWAYS count on a murderer for a fancy prose style, but in the case of Humbert Humbert, it's certainly true.
Words are strung together so beautifully that it's so easy to get caught up in the poetry and imagry despite the subject matter.
Check out the audio book, read by Jeremy Irons, if you can.
Words are strung together so beautifully that it's so easy to get caught up in the poetry and imagry despite the subject matter.
Check out the audio book, read by Jeremy Irons, if you can.
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Yikes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
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
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I feel weird giving this book a 5-star rating… but it’s necessary. So many people misinterpret the purpose of Lolita, and it’s important to recognize that this is not a book meant to justify or romanticize anything—it’s meant to expose the disturbing reality of how predators rationalize their actions.
Humbert Humbert is the epitome of an unreliable narrator, using poetic prose to manipulate both himself and the reader. Nabokov’s writing is so beautiful and lulling that you almost forget the horror of what’s actually happening—until a single word or phrase jolts you back to the truth. This discomfort is intentional. You’re supposed to feel unsettled, supposed to recognize the insidious nature of Humbert’s justifications.
And, wow, does it work. I am never letting my kids out of my sight again.
Humbert Humbert is the epitome of an unreliable narrator, using poetic prose to manipulate both himself and the reader. Nabokov’s writing is so beautiful and lulling that you almost forget the horror of what’s actually happening—until a single word or phrase jolts you back to the truth. This discomfort is intentional. You’re supposed to feel unsettled, supposed to recognize the insidious nature of Humbert’s justifications.
And, wow, does it work. I am never letting my kids out of my sight again.