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kmae314's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Stalking, Sexism, Gaslighting, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
ettan's review against another edition
I do not wish to continue it, but do not regret giving it a try.
I made a google doc of quotes that made my stomach turn, 2 from over 10 pages worth;
"-I often felt we lived in a lighted house of glass, and any moment some thin-lipped parchment face would peer through a carelessly unshaded window to obtain a free glimpse of things that the most jaded voyeur would have paid a small fortune to watch..."
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Stalking
liathibault's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Death of parent
frmeden's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
it is so hard to put into words the way this novel affected me, other than we've done a great disservice to it by peddling it as a 'love story' for all these years. nabokov can say this story has no moral but the authorial intent reads very clear to me! i do almost feel like i could go back and read it again and catch new things because it kind of reads like a very overwritten horror/mystery novel, because HH is lying to you constantly and covering up his crimes with flowery prose. dolores haze you deserved better, who the fuck is "lolita" anyway!!!
Graphic: Incest, Stalking, Rape, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Pregnancy, Racism, Racial slurs, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Minor: Child death
aisclaradm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Sometimes a tad slow, but that’s more so an indictment of my attention span and less so of one on the book itself.
Graphic: Murder, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Car accident
_kaylinconn's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Death, Sexual violence, Stalking, Car accident, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder
g1lg4mesh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Incest, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Alcohol, Body shaming, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Car accident, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail
gvstyris's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
I need you, the reader, to imagine us, for we don’t really exist if you don’t.
There’s no doubt that Nabokov’s Lolita is a timeless classic, and I finally understand why. Primarily, the prose is gorgeous. I’ve never been so in awe of an author’s writing style and paused repeatedly to jot down quotes or dog-ear pages. Nabokov’s manipulation of narration (and the strength of Humbert Humbert’s personal voice) is similarly masterful, and I was struck by how fundamental the novel’s foreword is to understanding the story. It must also be noted that Humbert Humbert is a well-crafted, terrifying character whose gaze aptly reflects our society’s obsession with young girls, a messaging still of undeniable relevance in the 21st century.
Before reading, I was both fascinated by Lolita’s cultural impact and confused by the purpose of such a novel. It seemed perplexing that an author would want to tell such a viscerally uncomfortable story, and it’s a question I couldn’t properly answer until reading Nabokov’s afterword. He argues that “I am neither a reader nor writer of didactic fiction, and, despite John Ray’s assertion, Lolita has no moral in tow.” Instead, its purpose is realism, a cautionary tale that stands the test of time because of how it is continually misconstrued by paedophiles and victims alike. I’m glad to have finally read it and will be thinking about its cultural relevance for a long time.
I’ve (pretty superficially) knocked half a star off for the verbose descriptions. Humbert Humbert’s excessive ramblings while traipsing the country with Lo were unnecessary and arguably detrimental to the flow of the narrative.
Overall a powerful read, and I highly recommend giving it a shot if you’re in the right mental place. Definitely look up the content warnings, though.
Graphic: Stalking, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Rape, Car accident, and Incest
Minor: Racism
adorablyandie's review against another edition
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Stalking, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
stindex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, and Misogyny