Reviews
Novels 1955–1962: Lolita / Pnin / Pale Fire / Lolita: A Screenplay by Vladimir Nabokov, Brian Boyd
agavemonster's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
three masterworks in one cover. the essential text for nabokov-in-english
jodiesackettbrown's review
3.0
This was not what I expected at all: I had known this story was about an affair between an older man and a much younger girl, but, in reality, this was a book about a pedophile's obsession!
This novel gave me the most curious of experiences in that I was simultaneously repulsed to the point of wanting to discontinue reading and entranced so that I could not. The value lies entirely in the beauty and poetry of Nabokov's literary voice. Even when describing his pedophilic point of view, the poetry of the language is mesmerizing.
This was also the first audiobook I had engaged. Over a lengthy roadtrip to Bridgeport, California, I listened in rapt repulsion as Jeremy Irons gave life to the story--what a treat! As the voice of Humbert Humbert, he was provocative and convincing.
I'm still not sure where I stand with this novel. I'm still not sure I will ever recommend it as a "good read." I have no empathy for H.H., but the voice of this book will remain with me in many ways.
This novel gave me the most curious of experiences in that I was simultaneously repulsed to the point of wanting to discontinue reading and entranced so that I could not. The value lies entirely in the beauty and poetry of Nabokov's literary voice. Even when describing his pedophilic point of view, the poetry of the language is mesmerizing.
This was also the first audiobook I had engaged. Over a lengthy roadtrip to Bridgeport, California, I listened in rapt repulsion as Jeremy Irons gave life to the story--what a treat! As the voice of Humbert Humbert, he was provocative and convincing.
I'm still not sure where I stand with this novel. I'm still not sure I will ever recommend it as a "good read." I have no empathy for H.H., but the voice of this book will remain with me in many ways.
kellyhager's review
4.0
This is a brilliant book, one we've all heard of. I don't think I'd go so far as to say that I liked it, but it's an amazing book and I'm glad I've read it.
According to the front cover and Vanity Fair, it's "the only convincing love story of our century."
I really hope that's not true, because Lolita has nothing to do with love.
Humbert (the narrator) tries to convince himself that he loves Lolita and that she loves him back, but in his more honest moments (there aren't many, but they are there), he knows that she doesn't and that she stays with him because she feels trapped. (He tells her that if she tries to go to the police or to tell anyone, he'll go to jail and that she'll be put into the foster care system or in some sort of facility for wayward girls.)
The book's more about obsession (on his part) and helplessness (on hers). He tries to paint it as love and as concern for her (he decides at first that he's going to drug her before touching her so that she can stay pure) but really, not so much.
According to the front cover and Vanity Fair, it's "the only convincing love story of our century."
I really hope that's not true, because Lolita has nothing to do with love.
Humbert (the narrator) tries to convince himself that he loves Lolita and that she loves him back, but in his more honest moments (there aren't many, but they are there), he knows that she doesn't and that she stays with him because she feels trapped. (He tells her that if she tries to go to the police or to tell anyone, he'll go to jail and that she'll be put into the foster care system or in some sort of facility for wayward girls.)
The book's more about obsession (on his part) and helplessness (on hers). He tries to paint it as love and as concern for her (he decides at first that he's going to drug her before touching her so that she can stay pure) but really, not so much.
e_bibliophile's review
4.0
How do we review books? It's a subjective matter. What appeals to me wouldn't necessarily appeal to you, and what you're fussing about might not stir in me the slightest appreciation. As for me, I usually rate my books based on two main aspects: STYLE and CONCEPT.
[b:Lolita|18133|Lolita|Vladimir Nabokov|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1372767118s/18133.jpg|1268631] by [a:Vladimir Nabokov|5152|Vladimir Nabokov|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1399321558p2/5152.jpg] is a book that has an eloquent STYLE which I liked regardless of how much I hated the main character's person who also narrates the book (so eloquently). And the CONCEPT is a taboo which automatically serves as an interesting reading.
So, this is how it goes: STYLE [✓] | CONCEPT [✓].
I've never read any book that speaks from a pedophile's point of view. A pedophile is a despicable, obnoxious, repulsive creature. I'd never sympathize with such a piece of shit, no matter what physiological background induces in such a degraded behavior. In this book, the pedophile can be compared to that pattern of serial killers which scarcely entertain suspicion; rich, educated, and good looking.
The narrator gives us an account of how his feelings toward nymphets (sexually attractive young girls) was born. He relates his background and some of his childhood memories until he comes of age. He even tried to suppress his twisted urges and put them under control by marrying an adult woman... But, will all his attempts to trap his pedophilia work?
The narrator's brilliant prose somehow masked the ugliness of his perverted thoughts and actions to an extent that made reading this book reluctantly possible. Plus, I demanded a closure and wanted to know how it ended. In all my reading experience, I can think of very few loathsome characters that I loathed like Humbert Humbert, and they're always those who take sexual advantage of youngsters.
The complete sentences in French were distracting me. I don't mind a word in any language thrown here and there in a novel that is written in English. But, as a reader who unfortunately doesn't speak French, I found it extremely annoying to translate those phrases that I ultimately gave up and felt like the only idiot in the room who doesn't get an inside joke. Surprisingly, Lolita agrees with me:
No matter how disturbingly disgusting the main topic of this book is, I urge you to give reading it a shot. You'll be amazed how manipulative the narrator is. With all his word-play and self-pity, you'd think that he thinks that he was the victim sometimes. He's a deceitful asshole and I couldn't trust whether he was telling the truth or not, although he seems that he's not hiding the important cards. Nevertheless, the son of a bitch knows how to tell a story and drag you to it.
I enjoyed going through the mind a pedophile like I would enjoy going through the mind of serial killer; namely out of mere curiosity. I knew I had to read this book for its fame and popularity (curious person alert!) but I never thought that I'd actually like it. I gave the side-eye to the synopsis and was missing the whole picture that unfolded later on. It's certainly NOT an unconventional love story! PLEASE STOP LABELING IT AS SUCH! It's wrong on so many levels.
You'd wonder: Are you affected by the well-written persuasions and digging the history for social and religious green lights to reason the lust for the so-called nymphets? Does a minor's consent on a sexual act with an adult give the adult the right to proceed with that act? Does the seductive nature of a person justify being sexually molested or raped? How far are we fooled by appearances? Do monsters look like monsters? How blind are we to what's right in front of us?
[b:Lolita|18133|Lolita|Vladimir Nabokov|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1372767118s/18133.jpg|1268631] by [a:Vladimir Nabokov|5152|Vladimir Nabokov|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1399321558p2/5152.jpg] is a book that has an eloquent STYLE which I liked regardless of how much I hated the main character's person who also narrates the book (so eloquently). And the CONCEPT is a taboo which automatically serves as an interesting reading.
So, this is how it goes: STYLE [✓] | CONCEPT [✓].
I've never read any book that speaks from a pedophile's point of view. A pedophile is a despicable, obnoxious, repulsive creature. I'd never sympathize with such a piece of shit, no matter what physiological background induces in such a degraded behavior. In this book, the pedophile can be compared to that pattern of serial killers which scarcely entertain suspicion; rich, educated, and good looking.
The narrator gives us an account of how his feelings toward nymphets (sexually attractive young girls) was born. He relates his background and some of his childhood memories until he comes of age. He even tried to suppress his twisted urges and put them under control by marrying an adult woman..
Spoiler
It turns out that he's not only a pedophile; but also a wife beater and a murdererThe narrator's brilliant prose somehow masked the ugliness of his perverted thoughts and actions to an extent that made reading this book reluctantly possible. Plus, I demanded a closure and wanted to know how it ended. In all my reading experience, I can think of very few loathsome characters that I loathed like Humbert Humbert, and they're always those who take sexual advantage of youngsters.
The complete sentences in French were distracting me. I don't mind a word in any language thrown here and there in a novel that is written in English. But, as a reader who unfortunately doesn't speak French, I found it extremely annoying to translate those phrases that I ultimately gave up and felt like the only idiot in the room who doesn't get an inside joke. Surprisingly, Lolita agrees with me:
"But do you mind very much cutting out the French? It annoys everybody."
No matter how disturbingly disgusting the main topic of this book is, I urge you to give reading it a shot. You'll be amazed how manipulative the narrator is. With all his word-play and self-pity, you'd think that he thinks that he was the victim sometimes. He's a deceitful asshole and I couldn't trust whether he was telling the truth or not, although he seems that he's not hiding the important cards. Nevertheless, the son of a bitch knows how to tell a story and drag you to it.
I enjoyed going through the mind a pedophile like I would enjoy going through the mind of serial killer; namely out of mere curiosity. I knew I had to read this book for its fame and popularity (curious person alert!) but I never thought that I'd actually like it. I gave the side-eye to the synopsis and was missing the whole picture that unfolded later on. It's certainly NOT an unconventional love story! PLEASE STOP LABELING IT AS SUCH! It's wrong on so many levels.
You'd wonder: Are you affected by the well-written persuasions and digging the history for social and religious green lights to reason the lust for the so-called nymphets? Does a minor's consent on a sexual act with an adult give the adult the right to proceed with that act? Does the seductive nature of a person justify being sexually molested or raped? How far are we fooled by appearances? Do monsters look like monsters? How blind are we to what's right in front of us?
madelyn's review
1.0
I ended up not liking this book, not for the obvious reason of pedophilia, but because nothing happened in the last 2/3 of the book! The initial story was intriguing and entertaining, and the prose drew me in, but when Humbert started their endless road trips I lost interest fast. There were rambling descriptions of the landscape, the hotels they stayed in, Lolita playing tennis, and his paranoia of being followed, all culminating in Lolita running away, and Humbert continuing his road trips to look for her. There was no progression to the story, and absolutely no character development. Lolita seemed as childish as a 19 year old as she was as a 14 year old; Humbert was as desperate and selfish at the beginning of the book as at the end. There was no climax, only the last event in the story. Lolita was not nearly as salacious as its reviews led me to believe. I can't decide if I didn't pay enough attention, or if I just wasn't as scandalized as others are.
emmaliiiiine's review
5.0
Just re-read this, on audio. Gotta say, the index is maybe the most brilliant part of the entire book (which is saying something because the whole thing is phenomenal).
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