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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Ughhhhh, I hate that it was written so well.
I picked up this book wanting to see what all the hubbub was about. I am not stranger to dark subject matter and was interested as I've heard some people say it's amazingly written despite the content. There is also, unsurprisingly, not that many books centered around this subject, especially from the predator's POV, so I was curious to see how it would be handled.
I got to chapter 11. Every night I dreaded to do my daily reading because I knew this is what was waiting for me. The language in this is awful. It's supposed to come from this pretentious, remorseless, unlikable character, and yeah. He's so pretentious. He's SO unlikeable.
I hate DNF'ing books, especially so early on. But I had to reevaluate if this is worth continuing and the answer is fuck no. Why would I willingly spend so much precious time with a pretentious, unlikeable man? There are enough of those in my life.
I was really looking forward to reading this so it's a shame that it's just such a slog. And a nitpick, Humbert Humbert is just about the most ridiculous name in a book I've ever seen, I cannot take that seriously, alias or not.
I got to chapter 11. Every night I dreaded to do my daily reading because I knew this is what was waiting for me. The language in this is awful. It's supposed to come from this pretentious, remorseless, unlikable character, and yeah. He's so pretentious. He's SO unlikeable.
I hate DNF'ing books, especially so early on. But I had to reevaluate if this is worth continuing and the answer is fuck no. Why would I willingly spend so much precious time with a pretentious, unlikeable man? There are enough of those in my life.
I was really looking forward to reading this so it's a shame that it's just such a slog. And a nitpick, Humbert Humbert is just about the most ridiculous name in a book I've ever seen, I cannot take that seriously, alias or not.
challenging
dark
medium-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
dark
reflective
tense
medium-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
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-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
EW EW EW EW I HATED THIS SO HORRIBLE BUT SO WELL WRITTEN WTF WTF (my presentation is going to eat though trust)
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is definitely one of those books that requires a second reading to catch all of the little things you might not have noticed the first time around. The first time I read this was several years ago, and with a fresh mind, I can appreciate it a little more. I think that this book became so popular not just because of the controversial material, but because this has, so far, been the easiest of Nabokov's works to understand. The annotations provide extra clarity and references to other works/inspirations (for example, I had never heard of Finnegan's Wake before this).
This book definitely requires a critical eye to thoroughly enjoy. For first-time readers, it's easy to get swept up by Humbert's narration, as we as readers are wont to trust the narrator. Theirs is the only perspective we see. I think this is the best example of an unreliable narrator that I've ever seen in fiction, because we're meant to see past his flowery prose for the monster he really is. Like, yes, watching it all unfold is harrowing and what happens is horrible, but that's the point of the book. It forces us to take a good look at the worst kind of people, how they twist the people around them, and how they can be as ordinary and human as anyone else.
It's a challenge, in a way, to try and catch a glimpse of the girl who is 'Lolita'. She dominates the book with her presence, but we never get to know her outside of Humbert's idealized version of her. It's the kind of book that leaves me wanting more, wanting to know the story from a different perspective.
This book definitely requires a critical eye to thoroughly enjoy. For first-time readers, it's easy to get swept up by Humbert's narration, as we as readers are wont to trust the narrator. Theirs is the only perspective we see. I think this is the best example of an unreliable narrator that I've ever seen in fiction, because we're meant to see past his flowery prose for the monster he really is. Like, yes, watching it all unfold is harrowing and what happens is horrible, but that's the point of the book. It forces us to take a good look at the worst kind of people, how they twist the people around them, and how they can be as ordinary and human as anyone else.
It's a challenge, in a way, to try and catch a glimpse of the girl who is 'Lolita'. She dominates the book with her presence, but we never get to know her outside of Humbert's idealized version of her. It's the kind of book that leaves me wanting more, wanting to know the story from a different perspective.
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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
i have no idea how to rate this on a stars scale, so I will leave it at this: This is a heavy book where parts of it are confusing and parts of it make you want to bang your head against a wall. Humbert Humbert is a deplorable man trying desperately to convince you he is not awful.
Another one of the best damn books ever written. Hilarious and tragic. My favorite two-punch.