Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

172 reviews

_kaylinconn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

4.0

I did not enjoy a single page of this novel, and yet I am rating it 4 stars. It was beautiful in a macabre way. The actions are indeed disgusting, and I appreciate that the text acknowledges that even in the twisted mind of Humbert Humbert. There is not a better example of obsession than this. And though I wish it wasn’t about such a horrible topic, I see what it was trying to say. It leaves me with a stomach ache and tears in my eyes for the life Delores Hayes could have lived, the vacant look described her in eyes destroys me. I read this for dear Sally Horner, who deserved so much more than this world gave her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, and Murder

bearwhocanreadbecauseofmagic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I read this book because I wanted to know how such a strong focus on maybe the most taboo subject of our time could be a classic. I understand why now.

The brutal look into the mind of the Humbert Humbert was chilling, funny, tragic, and so horrendously uninhibited that it was difficult to not be sucked in when dressed in some of the best prose I’ve read.

Don’t expect to walk away from this read feeling like sunshine. Naturally, it is a very disturbing book, but it is also intoxicating and beautiful and deserves its place.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Gun violence and Violence

Minor: Racism

kazli's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

god this book was heartbreaking. it follows a man named humbert humbert who falls in love with his step daughter, and you know it's wrong but because humbert is an unreliable narrator he makes you believe that he is actually in love with his 'lolita' when in reality she is just a child who wanted a normal life and a normal family.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

jalyhn'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I give this a high rating because it is written beautifully and an amazing book to annotate and analyze. I had so much fun picking apart everything Humbert did to find out what was >SPOILER<

an illusion or something he made up and what is real.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

g1lg4mesh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

I find myself in a pickle of sorts in reviewing this book- I cannot in good faith blindly recommend it, and yet it is simultaneously the most incredible text I have ever engaged with. Lolita simply redefines the standard of the masterpiece, building not a glass ceiling (such tangibilities are beneath it), rather, casting the colloquial “bar” to the very heavens, where it may never be seen again. Only read this book if you are prepared to finish it- know too that this is no simple matter- but read this book, if you may be so bold. It will challenge you, and you may want to hurl it into a fire at times, but still, you simply must make it to that final page. This is a book that redefines the 5th star, and shakes any attempt at literary tier lists to its very core.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

nat_jasper's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape and Sexual violence

sundragonheartt's review against another edition

very important book, will be reading the various discourses surrounding it, but I am not in a good enough mental state to handle such heavy subject matter right now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting

river69rat's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

4.25

Probably one of the hardest books to digest and then rate. Deeply disturbing, but a brilliant portrayal of the deluded mind of a disgusting man. Reading this after reading My Dark Vanessa last year creates an additional layer of almost being able to see Lolita's perspective. The amount of people who lack reading comprehension for this book to be commonly known as a romance is crazy to me also!! Anyway, fantastic book whilst also sitting in a deeply uncomfortable space.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Gun violence and Rape

kierank's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

I would get lost in the beautiful prose and then remember what I was reading about and get sick to my stomach, which I’m sure is the point. Reading this as a teen definitely heightened the horror aspect. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

hotteahippie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

One of those books that makes you question humanity. It was presented to me as a "timeless classic". That troubles me deeply... 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment