Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
I just started reading this book, and I already feel dirty!
I've put off writing this review because I've been back and forth with this one. Without a doubt it is a well written story and I appreciated the irony in its ending, but there were plenty of moments that didn't work for me and repeatedly had me putting the book down for several days and sometimes only after a few pages.
Firstly the writing itself: in classic Russian fashion there are pages and pages of description without moving the plot forward, particularly on their road trip across America. He captures the time perfectly and I felt like I could have been with them on this trip, but it grew tedious. When they started a second trip I thought, "Dear god, no!" But once again it did set the scene incredibly vividly though it killed the pace of the storytelling.
Before H.H. has Lolita to himself, I found myself enjoying the scenario of his plotting and trying to understand this character that has feelings I cannot relate to. The brilliance in the writing is that you don't need to try too hard to put yourself into his shoes, because you come to understand him in a strange way. In fact the writing is so good that more than half of the time you are on his side throughout this horrible account.
Of course the story is told in the first person, so you can never be too sure how much of the story is 'true' and how much is just H.H.'s point of view of how everything really happened. This was one of the things that made me start to put the book down. Why am I reading this account that has such a clear bias? He even tries to lead you to believe that he is the victim at times. Yet while that aggravated me, it also fascinated me. Time to pick the book up again.
The other reason I put it down was the plot itself. There were scenes where he dismisses the fact the Lolita might have any feelings at all. He is so incredibly selfish that it made me sick and I had to stop reading again. Then I'd think how brilliant Nabokov was for making me feel so incredibly repulsed about fictional characters.
To say that I enjoyed this book would be going a bit too far, but all the same I am happy that I have read it. Would I recommend it for the average reader? No. But if you think that you can handle the plot and are interested in having your emotions toyed with by the author's writing, then by all means pick it up, but don't say I didn't warn you.
Firstly the writing itself: in classic Russian fashion there are pages and pages of description without moving the plot forward, particularly on their road trip across America. He captures the time perfectly and I felt like I could have been with them on this trip, but it grew tedious. When they started a second trip I thought, "Dear god, no!" But once again it did set the scene incredibly vividly though it killed the pace of the storytelling.
Before H.H. has Lolita to himself, I found myself enjoying the scenario of his plotting and trying to understand this character that has feelings I cannot relate to. The brilliance in the writing is that you don't need to try too hard to put yourself into his shoes, because you come to understand him in a strange way. In fact the writing is so good that more than half of the time you are on his side throughout this horrible account.
Of course the story is told in the first person, so you can never be too sure how much of the story is 'true' and how much is just H.H.'s point of view of how everything really happened. This was one of the things that made me start to put the book down. Why am I reading this account that has such a clear bias? He even tries to lead you to believe that he is the victim at times. Yet while that aggravated me, it also fascinated me. Time to pick the book up again.
The other reason I put it down was the plot itself. There were scenes where he dismisses the fact the Lolita might have any feelings at all. He is so incredibly selfish that it made me sick and I had to stop reading again. Then I'd think how brilliant Nabokov was for making me feel so incredibly repulsed about fictional characters.
To say that I enjoyed this book would be going a bit too far, but all the same I am happy that I have read it. Would I recommend it for the average reader? No. But if you think that you can handle the plot and are interested in having your emotions toyed with by the author's writing, then by all means pick it up, but don't say I didn't warn you.
I had to give myself a few days to think this one over before writing a review. And this review is going to be very disjointed.
While this book contained such a disturbing subject matter, it truly is a remarkable piece of literature. One negative review I read stated something along the lines of “at what point does pushing the boundaries of art really just become something horrible” and I think this statement is the point of the book. It covered such a dark topic in such a humorous and beautifully written way that it’s intended purpose was to push the boundaries and make the reader uncomfortable. It pushes the boundary of human psychology and our ability to empathize.
If you are considering reading this novel, the best advice I can give you is to not go into this thinking it is a romance. Pop culture has severely romanticized this story when at its core it is really a book about trauma. How trauma can be transferred between people and how trauma is subjective to the victim.
The prose of this book is truly remarkable. I was hesitant going in because of the hype but Nabokov truly has a way with words that others only dream of having.
What I’m trying to say here is that Nabokov created something remarkable and I enjoyed every page of it.
While this book contained such a disturbing subject matter, it truly is a remarkable piece of literature. One negative review I read stated something along the lines of “at what point does pushing the boundaries of art really just become something horrible” and I think this statement is the point of the book. It covered such a dark topic in such a humorous and beautifully written way that it’s intended purpose was to push the boundaries and make the reader uncomfortable. It pushes the boundary of human psychology and our ability to empathize.
If you are considering reading this novel, the best advice I can give you is to not go into this thinking it is a romance. Pop culture has severely romanticized this story when at its core it is really a book about trauma. How trauma can be transferred between people and how trauma is subjective to the victim.
The prose of this book is truly remarkable. I was hesitant going in because of the hype but Nabokov truly has a way with words that others only dream of having.
What I’m trying to say here is that Nabokov created something remarkable and I enjoyed every page of it.
challenging
dark
emotional
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
challenging
emotional
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
wasn't reading this just pure enjoyment!
Cannot do it. I don't want to consume such cruel and disgusting thoughts.
I do understand why it's a classic and I can appreciate the writing.
I do understand why it's a classic and I can appreciate the writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment
challenging
dark
reflective
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
O que dizer deste livro? É o primeiro que leio de Vladimir Nabokov e achei a escrita dele fantástica! Para além disso, quando temos pela frente um livro capaz de nos gerar uma repulsa interna, e noutros momentos umas boas gargalhadas, só pode ser um livro muito bom! Perto das 5*, não chegou lá porque penso que os últimos capítulos, contrariamente ao resto do livro, tornaram-se mais chatos e monótonos. Mas sem dúvida que fiquei fã da escrita de Nabokov!
3.5/5 Instantly on the Mount Rushmore of incredible books that are incredibly difficult to read. This narrative doesn’t work in the hands of a lesser writer, but Nabokov is a master of words and handles the subject with a light touch and an incredibly sharp pen. This is a masterpiece of feeling uncomfortable.