Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Лолита

Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Лолита by Vladimir Nabokov

181 reviews

stringdom's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-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

elizbitt's review against another edition

4.0

dark 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

smalls411's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

metaphorsandmisc's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark reflective 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

dr_sol's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

batrick_pateman's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark reflective sad 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

Where to start?
This is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read, maybe even the most beautifully written. Nabokov was a master at playing with language, it's amazing that he only started writing in English in the middle of his life and career. I'm in awe of the writing, and the plot makes me feel filthy. Like a stain I can't remove.
In a lesser writer's hands, Humbert Humbert would be a stock character and this book would be worse than worthless - but Nabokov turns it into a dissection of not just a predator's psyche, but the reader's idea of a predator's psyche. At every turn, H. H. is trying to win the reader's sympathy - he never lies, but he obscures, justifies, begs, contrasts himself with

Quilty

, and does everything else he can to hide the fact that he is a monster. Thanks to Nabokov's writing, it almost works - recognizing H. H. as a monster and a predator forces you to reject the popular image of The Pedophile and re-think your idea of what predators are like. Brilliant, disturbing, important, gorgeously written, and a book I'll definitely return to someday.

Content Warnings

_jasper_394's review against another edition

2.0

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I think if you are going to read this book you must be aware that there are certain things described so lyrically so you start picturing the scene then you remember the narrator is speaking about a child and a pang of disgust hits you and you want to violently hit your head against a wall. But if you're okay with that then it's a pretty easy book to get into classics if that's what you're looking for (which is why I read it). Overall, I personally didn't like it but I think that's more of a me issue as I didn't do enough research into its contents before reading.

Content Warnings

kmae314's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Would not read again. I’ve seen enough.

Content Warnings

andrewfischerr19's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark 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

Wow. I just went into this book knowing that Kubrick adapted it (haven't watched it yet, but planning to). It was very intriguing seeing how Nabokov wrote in the perspective of an abuser, and I found that my favorite parts where Humbert scoffs and spits in your face for assuming the right thing. the character manipulates you and you often catch yourself saying "wait a second, I know what you're doing." Overall, Lolita is beautifully written and if you can handle the subject matter I heavily recommend.

Content Warnings

ettan's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 64%

The way the book is written was interesting and at times beautiful. Challenging read both in terms of language and content. I couldn't finish it because of the dark themes, it made me uncomfortable and very sad. "How reliable is the narrator" was one of my main thoughts when reading it. At times the main protagonist could go on about his interpretation of events for multiple pages and just briefly mention something terrible or how the victim reacted "according to him".

I do not wish to continue it, but do not regret giving it a try.

I made a google doc of quotes that made my stomach turn, 2 from over 10 pages worth;

"-adorable pubescent pet..."
"-I often felt we lived in a lighted house of glass, and any moment some thin-lipped parchment face would peer through a carelessly unshaded window to obtain a free glimpse of things that the most jaded voyeur would have paid a small fortune to watch..."

Content Warnings

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