Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

65 reviews

shinee666's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

catslippers's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

3.0

At last I have conquered Lolita. Is it a good book? Yes, sure. Did I enjoy it? Not... really. Nabokov's prose is excellent and his mastery of the English language is overwhelming even to a native speaker, but HH is so abusive and irritating that his "memoir" is a work that MUST be critically examined and engaged with, otherwise the entire point of reading it is (in my opinion) lost and wasted.

What drops this book from 4 to 3 stars for me is the end of the 50th anniversary edition, where Nabokov writes "On a Book Entitled Lolita." After writing this monstrous account, he writes that Lolita has no moral in tow... And I think that apathy to one's own writing is as irresponsible as it is reprehensible, and degrades the book in my eyes.

Independent of any criticism I have for the book itself, I must say that this book is an absolute magnet for creepy men. Twice while reading have I been interrupted by men delighting in Nabokov's prose (in a way that really shows they have not read it the way I have) and have made me supremely uncomfortable.

Lastly, I want to say that the back of this edition quotes Vanity Fair in saying Lolita is "the only convincing love story of our century," and as the blurb on Goodreads and the back of the book would say, the book is a "meditation on love." If there are any young readers here who are questioning whether HH truly loved Lolita, I want to say — regardless of what you decide, this type of love is not the kind worth having. You deserve better than love that will ruin you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Child abuse

cinnamingsley's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Stalking

alekatja's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Trafficking

ssgcedits's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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

3.0

By far, the most exquisite writing I ever came across, and, by far, the most disturbing thing I ever read. It is extremely triggering and I would not recommend it to anyone who's been through abuse.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Confinement, Body shaming, Murder, Rape, and Stalking