Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Lolita

Lolita is such an ubiquitous story that I think most of us know what it is about without having to read it. That being said, if you can handle the content, you absolutely should read it. This book has so many layers and nuances including bits of humor. I know that Nabokov is often criticized for "glorifying" pedophilia, but I think if you read this book carefully, you'll understand that he's actually doing quite the opposite. He is pointing out the ways pedophilia happen, what goes on in a predator's head to justify their behavior to themselves, why this is so dangerous, and why it is so abhorrent. I did think the story meandered a bit in the last third, but overall, I was captivated and really appreciate this book.

Content Warnings

lavxna's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

emily_adams_98's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Found it surprisingly engrossing and easy to submerge myself into the protagonist’s mind. Beautifully written, often had to reread passages i had skimmed over in order to fully appreciate the poetry of the descriptions. Thought it was interesting how the protagonist was simultaneously aware of the perversity of his actions and seemed convinced of his own ability to reason it away.

Content Warnings

atsundarsingh's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

I don't think it's useful to rate this book. The writing is incredible, and reading it has firmly made up my mind that it's not well understood in public discourse. That being said, this is awful to experience as a reader because it's about so many horrible thoughts and deeds.

Content Warnings