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ellisy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Maybe one of the most remarcable things about this story is the way it's told. We are warned at the beginning of what this text really is: a confession and desperate attempt of a criminal to save himself. One that "should make all of us apply ourselves with still greater vigilance and vision to the task of bringing up a better generation in a safer world". Its narrator, a pedophile that both tries to trick you into beeling his side of the story and recognizes what he's done, one you cannot fully believe since he himself said that "I have camouflaged what I could so as not to hurt people". Which he does in the most poetical kind of way, almost convincing you for some bits until you get to the most sordid parts and comments, that reminds you of what he really is.
Something really interesting about him is the juxtaposition between the romantic and the monster, between "concupiscent co-operation (or the illusion of it) to dirty old man, from romance to self-revolution, from reciprocation to the sordid solipsism of sperm on the hand. Nabokov's subject and Humbert's affliction is the discrepancy between the dizzy desire and the dingy thruth". As Humbert said "Despite the horrible hopelessness of it all, I still dwelled deep in my elected paradise—a paradise whose skies were the color of hell-flames—bit still a paradise". And as well recognized later on, "I loved you. I was a pentapod monster, but I loved you. I was despicable and brutal, and turpid, and everything, mais je t'aimais, je t'aimais! And there were times when I knew how you felt, and it was hell to know it, my little one. Lolita girl, brave Dolly Schiller". He knew that he was hurting her, but he kept on, he knew that he was monstrous, but he kept on, and this would have never ended, if Dolores wouldn't have scaped.
Maybe that's why that's one of the most heartbreaking parts of the story. The criminal knew how sordidly he had ruined Dolores's live, but he kept on, telling himself that he loved her. He used this little child until she bled, he knew she hated him, and still tried to make himself and us believe that he was the misunderstood poet, the victim somehow. But still he doesn't lay flat, he is not just "the bad guy" he's a monster, but he has dimensions, a story to tell after and before, some humanness in him that still makes us feel sorry somehow, even if after we still feel sick of what he's done.
Lolita is a terrifying story, in which not only a child was kidnapped but failed by the system that was supposed to protect her, by the people around them who had to have suspission that something was off, and even by the legacy it left, since Lolita became both a sexual figure and a "romance" story, with people commenting on the novel as "a record of Nabokov's love affair with the romantic novel". For me, it's the confession of a monstrous passion from the point of view of the aggressor, one that's written trying to cover what happened and you still see through the lies, one with multidimensional characters and story that fills you with rage, disgust and helplessness, and a narrative that tries to trick you. And for that, it's a masterpiece of the English language, a gem that's hard to look at, but you still should, a classic of American literature.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy
halaagmod's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Stalking, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Racism, Xenophobia, Car accident, and Pregnancy
sombies's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Racism and Lesbophobia
bycath's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism
haleymonkey5000's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Racism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, and Alcohol
ketreads's review against another edition
2.5
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!
Graphic: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
racheltrow_'s review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
shayh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Death, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Vomit, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
lesbegays's review against another edition
- 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
i always have been and always will be drawn to stories about atrocities committed in the name of love, about evil done to loved ones not in spite of that love but because of it, about love that is twisted and selfish and incomplete but still very much love, about people who only know how to give love in ways that won’t feel like love to those who receive it. i think this is essential reading for anyone drawn to those themes in stories who can stomach this particular type of evil.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Racism, Trafficking, Car accident, and Pregnancy
joaura's review against another edition
- 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
2.75
Reading this book was not only higly triggering and disturbing, but felt so pointless in trying to analyse it on a higher level.
I read a plot summary for the last third I had left and I'm glad I did that instead of pushing through the remaining pages of this novel.
I understand why it's a classic.
But!
I don't understand how it's described to be dangerously decieving the reader into sympathizing with Humbert.
~
I don't want to add anything to my initial review explaining why I didn't finish this novel, even though I managed to read the remaining pages after cooling down a bit.
This book was a tough read, expecially for me as a survivor myself.
Please be careful reading this piece of work if you've had experiences regarding child sexual abuse yourself.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Car accident, and Pregnancy