Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

105 reviews

kerrence30's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-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

4.0

Of course it’s disturbing to read first person as a self-aware paedophile. There are details shared which, while shocking and at times graphic, would leave a gap of insecurity in the author if left unsaid. Some of the choices made are brave, some are unexpected, but are all are beautifully written. I’m left perplexed now I’ve completed the book. I’m neither saddened by the final position of either lead character nor mollified. Throughout, neither character was likeable, and yet you felt obligated to root for their personal best interests, and berate yourself for it just the same. I see how it is a much admired novel. In this particular reading Jeremy Irons plays an excellent Humbert Humbert in reprise to his role in the film adaptation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Confinement, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, and Rape

rowans_revenge's review against another edition

I had to take a break;

he was consistently raping her, and I had to take a break to read something fun

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Child abuse

fallandfox's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Lolita é uma leitura difícil pelo seus temas e podemos observar dois tipos de leitores que completam essa leitura, os que enxergam a loucura do personagem e respeitam a Dolores a tratando como a sobrevivente que foi no livro e os que sexualizam a personagem em conjunto com o Humbert e a tratam como uma “ninfeta sedutora”, esses segundo tipo de leitores me causam nojo e asco.

Esse é um livro controverso por seu conteúdo erótico pedofilico e ser narrado exatamente pelo pedofilo e assassino em questão enquanto ele narra um “romance” que ele teve com sua enteada antes dela fugir dele em busca de liberdade. 

Eu considero esse um dos meus livros favoritos em razão dele me fazer sentir nojo pelo Humbert e conseguir ler entre as linhas a verdadeira Dolores.
Como eu disse a escrita desse livro é uma das coisas que me fez me apaixonar por ele, o Vladimir fez um excelente trabalho com a escrita e com o ritmo da leitura.

Humbert Humbert é um personagem mentiroso que passa o livro todo tentando justificar seus atos pedofilicos e o desejo que ele sentia e o planejamento frio que ele fez para abusar de sua enteada, mesmo com sua escrita rebuscada é possível sentir a sua insanidade.

Dolores Haze é uma criança que foi abusada e sequestrada logo após descobrir pelo seu padrasto a morte de sua mãe, não sabemos quase nada dela exceto os pequenos momentos em que ele deixa escapar a sua verdadeira personalidade e não a personificação do seu desejo que ele chama de Lolita.

O livro possui descrições da viagem de carro que eles fazem por 1 ano com as paradas e os acontecimentos infelizes que acontecem do a Dolores no caminho, o fato de que o autor decidiu fazer um caminho com a sua esposa de carro para se inspirar para a escrita e bastante perceptível no livro pela riqueza que você sente na litura.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Sexual assault, Incest, Rape, Pedophilia, Violence, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Car accident

alisakbr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Physical abuse, and Gun violence

Minor: Fatphobia

opheliacomplex_'s review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Pretentiousness and subject matter aside, the writing was lovely. And while I don't believe the author wrote this to innocently fulfill a perverted fantasy, I understand why someone else would. It's not for the light-hearted. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Stalking

Moderate: Death of parent and Misogyny

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

The descriptions of pedophilia were revolting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Child death

lynn_x5452's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

4.0

It's well written but often hard to read just in terms of content. There's also a lot of French lines that are just not translated at all and either require a working knowledge of French or the desire to translate them or look them up. I did none of that though, so you can make it through the book by just skipping over those portions.  Commentary on the plot itself:

The narrator is unreliable and it is a lose lose situation for all involved in the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Rape

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Stalking

Minor: Murder, Gun violence, Incest, and Kidnapping

devin_raquel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

3.0

In all honesty, I was let down by this novel, especially since this a book that is considered a classic in the literary community. I’m going to assume that somethings got lost in translation, since Nobokov’s orginial manuscript was in Russian. I was expecting to read something revolutionary, but instead, it seemed to me the ramblings of a depressed, self-conscious, pedophile. 
There are a few sections in this novel where I caught myself thinking that Humbert Humbert and Lolita’s romance would be a coveted one if the age gap wasn’t so vast. 
The drolling paragraphs, that went on and on, made for a difficult read and a confusing narrative; I found myself confused more than once within these pages. If you’re looking for a forbidden romance, or even for a book that will make your skin crawl, I would suggest picking up something else.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Incest, and Kidnapping

Minor: Death of parent, Gun violence, and Murder

ppp'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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, Gaslighting, Incest, and Adult/minor relationship

josierosser's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Physical abuse, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Misogyny

Minor: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Alcohol, Medical content, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence