A review by ketreads
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

challenging

2.5

Lolita is a perfect example of an author setting out the task of getting an idea, a character, on paper and doing it most effectively.

Nabokov's purpose of writing the book, to capture a pedophiles point of view, was expertly done. Humbert in all ways encapsulates a being able to cause untold damage to an innocent. Humbert is undeniably a horrible, calous, and unrepentant villain. Reading the mental gymnastics this character went through to justify his actions was infuriating and it feels almost so over the top to be comedic. How can a character be so reflective and yet so blind to the irony of his own judgement.

I often found, especially in the 2nd half, the inner dialogue of Humbert very difficult to follow. I'm not sure if this was intentional, to show his mental decline, but I found myself unable to understand what a lot of sentences were saying. The ones I did, were very well written, almost poetic so it feels more intentional by the author than otherwise.

I'm also not sure whether to say I "liked" the book but I do think it achieved what I sought out of the book. Read at your own peril!
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