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471 reviews for:
The Real Lolita: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World
Sarah Weinman
3.44 AVERAGE
471 reviews for:
The Real Lolita: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World
Sarah Weinman
3.44 AVERAGE
Sarah Weinman says in this book that she asked those who'd read _Lolita_ whether they'd noticed the parenthetical reference to Horner and La Salle and got a uniform "no." I had; I remember flagging it with a sticky note to look up during my second time through _Lolita_, so when I ran across Weinman's _Hazlitt_ article, I was glad to find it and knew I needed to read the book-length version as well. "Enjoy" isn't quite the right word for what one does with such a book as this, but it was illuminating.
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I know it’s not the point but I wouldn’t have minded knowing the author’s personal opinion on Nabokov more
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Car accident
Moderate: Bullying, Sexism
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I'm still trying to figure out what people see in Lolita and this book did help explain that somewhat.
I actually loved this book. It was engaging, and I really love true crime. I loved that was literary true crime, even though I've never read Lolita. I'm also glad I got the opportunity to get this perspective on the novel before reading it, because it did change my view of what Lolita is. The first half of the novel focuses mainly on Sally Horner and what happened to her, including her rescue and the trial of Frank la Salle.
The book also covered the process of Nabokov writing and publishing Lolita, as well as the various receptions the book had. This was a quite interesting section, though not quite as captivating as Sally Horner's story.
Overall, I agree with some criticisms that this book had relatively little real evidence of the connection between Sally Horner's life and the novel Lolita, the book's sections were still interesting enough for me not really to mind that.
The book also covered the process of Nabokov writing and publishing Lolita, as well as the various receptions the book had. This was a quite interesting section, though not quite as captivating as Sally Horner's story.
Overall, I agree with some criticisms that this book had relatively little real evidence of the connection between Sally Horner's life and the novel Lolita, the book's sections were still interesting enough for me not really to mind that.
I never read Lolita and never wanted to read Lolita. I learned through this book, that pretty much everything I thought I knew about the book Lolita and Nabokov the author is false. This book tells two stories. The harrowing kidnapping and abuse of Sally Horner and the literary guile of Nabokov. I can now recognize and acknowledge the literary genius of Nabokov. I can't say I will read it.
dark
sad
medium-paced
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Car accident
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced