Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

26 reviews

lobotomygf's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

lolita is kind of like the most effective work of literary horror because its villain is so manipulative and obsessed with self victimization that his little “memoir” has fascinatingly transcended the text and succeeded in giving thousands of women stockholm syndrome

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexism

theplaguedoctorreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence

joppen's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

3.5

Read this (very slowly) after listening to Jamie Loftus’ incredible Lolita Podcast, which goes into depth about how this book has been dangerously misinterpreted and adapted. 

Reading it for myself, I can’t for the life of me see how anyone could read this and interpret it as a love story. When I got the book I was shocked to see the insert sleeve, calling it “a love story almost shocking in its beauty and tenderness,” and a blurb on the back from says it’s the “only convincing love story of our century.” It’s not. It’s literally about a pedophile abducting and r*ping a 12-year old girl for years. The book is literally never ambiguous about that. 

Horrible, despicable, unbelievable misinterpretations aside, this book is beautifully written and deeply harrowing. Nabakov’s prose is incredible especially because English isn’t even his first language?? The writing especially lends itself to the book’s unreliable narrator theme when Humbert is describing these horrible acts he commits, while simultaneously trying to construct poems and witticisms to appease the reader. It only adds to his despicable he is (to anyone with any sense of reading comprehension.)

Overall a very hard read but I’m glad I got through it. Gonna listen to the podcast again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Gun violence and Death of parent

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

venusenvy's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Car accident, Physical abuse, and Sexism

Minor: Antisemitism

theodoralang's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

4.5

first half was incredible, then I lost interest for nearly all of the second half, with only a few moments that perked me back up. Obviously a very dark and complex storyline, the character development of HH was fascinating while simultaneously renewing and grotesque. Very gross themes; the reader oscillates between understanding and disgust.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, Infidelity, and Drug abuse