Reviews with content warning for Trafficking - Lolita

i'm mentally and physically exhausted hours after finishing this book.
the prose was by far the strongest aspect of the book. the author really forces you to read between the lines; scrutinize the allusions, linguistic flourishes and occasional slips of european.

this book is heartbreaking, particularly for dolores. due to the unreliable narration of humbert humbert, the reader never gets a sense of her true personality - only the imagined version humbert humbert has. the reader is forced to witness his obsession with dolores in painful detail. he is a despicable person, and even when he and dolores are seperated he is unable to let her go:
"my American sweet immortal dead love; for she is dead and immortal if you are reading this"

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hannah_cook's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging 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? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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maggie333's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

5.0

this is a book that i will be thinking about for a long time. it is one with a very complicated history, and for that i really recommend Lolita Podcast, which has helped me analyze this work, especially the cultural impact that it has had. i really recommend this book, but you need to be in the right place for it. it is a very difficult read, and you have to think a lot while reading it. the narrator is very unreliable, and you almost need to read the story like a true crime novel, because in a way, it is. you are reading the life story of a manipulator, who took advantage of his position to exploit a twelve year old girl. many people are almost charmed by this narrator, and fall into the trap of this manipulation. they read this as a love story. be very careful not to do that. i really recommend this story, though it is extremely tragic. while you’re reading it, remember who the real dolores is, not lolita. i really recommend reading My Dark Vanessa after you finish this story!

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sarahmackenziehs's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

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jmcordero's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad 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

3.0

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isabelrichards's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

At first I found this novel disgusting and it made me feel really bad about myself. I told everyone I know that it was not worth the read. That being said, I later became enthralled with the characters and plot. Nabokov has an extreme talent and wit to his writing style that is addicting (I also liked his addition of poetry, journal entries, and letters). Although this book is disturbing I would no longer tell people to completely write it off, instead I would advise that they know what they’re getting themselves into, take breaks (a lot), and think about what fictional stories provide us with.

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vulpexula's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad 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

4.0

A very challenging, yet important read. I wouldn’t recommend to younger readers or people who are triggered by abuse, as there is absolutely no subtlety in how the subjects are handled.

Nabokov use of rhyme and word play is what hooked me in from the beginning. I think the biggest tragedy of Lolita is our culture’s reaction to it. Instead of a vulnerable victim, the name ‘Lolita’ often brings the idea of a seductive, provocative girl to people’s heads, which is, I believe, exactly what evil people like Humbert want. If society can continue to sexualise young girls, abuse can continue to slip under the radar.

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alekatja's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

3.25

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