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This is a misunderstood book; because it depicts the actions of a pedophile, though never explicitly, it has enjoyed much contentious discourse over the years. I think Nabokov perfectly embodies the thought processes of monstrous people like Humbert, people who, despite their unbelievable transgressions, are still people, and have to deal with that aspect of their being. Humbert thinks highly of himself and lowly of most of the people he comes across. He is an old-world European in tacky-ass 1940s America and throughout the book, it's clear he feels as though this place is below him. But that doesn't make it easy for him to excuse his own pedophilic behavior. Instead, he mythologizes it, as if pedophilia is actually a dignified, understandable, and rare phenomenon that occurs only when sensuous "nymphets" encourage it to. He rarely blames himself entirely for his actions, usually only once they have already taken their toll on the people around him. Meanwhile, Dolores' identity and her development of it are stymied and compacted into the reductive image Humbert has of her, until she eventually escapes. Unfortunately, as you might expect, it is a pyrrhic victory.
I have never read a book like this and I was blown away by every page. The horrible shit in this book is presented in some of the most expertly crafted and translated prose to be pressed, and I am impressed.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Blood, Trafficking, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism, Xenophobia
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Gore, Incest, Violence, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Gaslighting
Moderate: Child death, Murder
Minor: Gun violence, Pregnancy
Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Kidnapping
I was finally convinced to read this classic because it turned out it's one of my best friends' favorite book and I wanted to know how in heaven's name she could like a book about a pedophile. It looks like now I'll have to find a way to bring into words why I like a book about a pedophile, too.
I'd briefly learned about Lolita in my literature studies that it was a controversial book because of its theme and the fact that it's told from the perspective of the bad guy. I hadn't wanted to read it, because I didn't want to feel any kind of sympathy for the protagonist. I was afraid his thoughts and morals would be forced upon me through the focalization.
Boy, was I wrong! The distance between the reader and the protagonist couldn't be greater. There are many layers to this book - a story within a diary within publication within a book - that constantly challenge and ridicule Humbert Humbert's perspective. He is a complete pathetic loser and I constantly rooted for everything to curb and frustrate him. As someone who is quite sensitive, I can say that the actual sexual misconducts are kept to a minimum and were not as disturbing to me as to make me stop reading.
If you're interested in character perspective and the levels of narration/irony, this book is for you!
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent
Moderate: Gun violence, Stalking, Car accident
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Car accident, Murder, Classism