Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Lolita

This is only my second classic book, the first being an unsuccessful attempt to read 'Dracula'. The experience was certainly interesting.

I find that the written moments of the book that I enjoyed most were the descriptions of the trip across the States. They invoked this aesthetic sense of mundanity alongside a romanticisation of these ordinary things.

However, it is the sense of the characters a reader gets throughout the book that has caught (and kept) my attention. The complexity of the characters is astounding - it's been a long time since I read a book that has equally made me sympathetic and annoyed at all the characters the reader encounters.

It's Lolita. The way she's encouraged to express her innocence in a situation where doing so has known consequences. It's the way some of her behaviour annoyed me due to its immature nature yet I simultaneously had to acknowledge that Lolita was a child and, therefore, it was expected (even encouraged and welcomed by Humbert). It's Lolita's acknowledgment of her situation and the undertone of the implied scenes. It's Dolly Schiller and her attitude towards Humbert at the very end. All of these form this image of a child who was doing the best she could in a no-win situation and that refused to be dragged down by traumatic experiences.

It's Humbert. It's his manipulation tactics that suggest intelligence and cunning (traits that are usually admired) alongside his paranoia and possessive behaviour that leaves an impression of him as a pathetic character. It's the way Humbert says Lolita is his 'one true love' and the object of all his desires, while being frequently enamored with other prepubescents. It's the way I have to acknowledge his love for Lolita as being true but also as being selfish and self-absorbed. The way he accepts, at the beginning of the book, that after Lolita is no longer a 'nymphet' his desire for her will stop and yet, at the end, his desire remains. It shows Humbert as a flawed, likable-yet-not human being that is prone to self-delusion in the moment but one that has, in the writing of the book, reflected and acknowledged his actions and their consequences.

I was bored; I was compelled; I was frustrated; I was content.

Content Warnings

mariacastrofonseca's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.75

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jaymae21's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad 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

4.0

The language of this book is some of the most beautiful I have ever read, and the subject matter the most revolting. This will not be a book you can fly through, you will have to pace yourself, take breaks, and try to refrain from throwing the book across the room in order to get through it. So why read it at all? For anyone with an interest in psychology, it's an interesting look into the mind of a mad nymphomaniac. For anyone with a liking for satire, this book has some surprisingly funny moments. For anyone with a love of language, there are passages that will make you forget you are reading about pedophilia, and remind you of the power of words.

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allysontrinh's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

The infamous Lolita is a classic that I was excited to dive into, having heard so many things about it. The story seemed interesting, dark, and like it would leave me feeling emotionally confused and numb—everything that I yearn for in a book. While the book definitely delivered on all fronts in that regard, I can't help but feel disappointed. Unlike other dark and heavy stories, I did not feel satisfied after finishing this book as a result of the older style of writing. Maybe this is more telling of my literary comprehension/understanding than of the literary quality of this novel, but what review is 100% objective? So while I can't faithfully comment on the writing itself, I can still speak upon the story.

This story is disgusting, horrifying, spine-chilling, thought-provoking, mind-bending, honest, and confusing all at the same time. Nabokov is able to transform his readers into Humbert Humbert, meaning I was repulsed and confused with myself when I snapped out of the immersion. Would I suggest others to read? I'm not sure, it depends on the type of reader and person you are. If you're looking for an easy read, steer clear! But if you don't mind an older style of writing, random French, German, and Latin scattered throughout, and dark/twisted stories are your thing, then this classic is worth the read.

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elizbitt's review against another edition

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dark 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

4.0

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herathecat's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced

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

2.0

This is first book I've read which I've had the urge to burn after reading. And perhaps that shows that the author achieved what he set out to do. The whole book just made me feel really uncomfortable and disgusted. I read it quickly to get it over with and to finally see the whole miserable story end and

learn how Lolita finally gets away from Humbert.

Like someone else said in their review, there is nothing enjoyable about reading this. A lot of people have spoken about Nabokov's prose, but for me it felt jarring to see him describe landscapes in poetic language after talking about the pleasure he takes in statutory rape. I also found his writing a bit flowery for my tastes, and I skimmed over passages that had no real purpose. I gave it a 2 because it is objectively well-written, but it took me to a place I never want to go again, and into the mind of a character I never wanted to go in the first place. I read it because it's a classic, and I assumed it would have some redeeming value, but it just made me want to bleach my brain afterwards to get rid of any memory of this protagonist.

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