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jillianfinkel's review against another edition
4.0
I'm delighted to, at last, be out of the mind of H.H. — thoughts still developing.
mosso's review against another edition
Leaving this unrated because how would you?
This is most certainly a work of literary merit and is perpetually relevant to our media landscape. The presentation of information was quite clever in its subversion. Particularly, I liked the connection between immunity and the prestige of Humbert's European origin. Class and learnedness are used as guises to hide Dolores's abuse. The work teems with secondary characters who forgive, ignore, and dismiss Humbert. Even Mrs. Haze's upset was first about Humbert's disapproval of herself before her mention of Lolita.
Nabokov is successful in creating disgust. There was one scene in particular in the first half which was particularly difficult to read. If you are compelled to read it, you should do so. It is as horrific as you imagine while generally avoiding particularly graphic description.
This is most certainly a work of literary merit and is perpetually relevant to our media landscape. The presentation of information was quite clever in its subversion. Particularly, I liked the connection between immunity and the prestige of Humbert's European origin. Class and learnedness are used as guises to hide Dolores's abuse. The work teems with secondary characters who forgive, ignore, and dismiss Humbert. Even Mrs. Haze's upset was first about Humbert's disapproval of herself before her mention of Lolita.
Nabokov is successful in creating disgust. There was one scene in particular in the first half which was particularly difficult to read. If you are compelled to read it, you should do so. It is as horrific as you imagine while generally avoiding particularly graphic description.
nfeissty's review against another edition
5.0
That was a crazy ass book. Huge trigger warning it was so graphic yet not graphic at the same time. I loved the style of his writing I felt like I was solving a riddle the whole time I read the book because the way he described things was so complex and the words he used were so challenging. This book was definitely very unsettling and I found myself constantly disgusted and freaked out my the main characters descriptions and antics. I don’t know how to feel…
franwyyazg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
clover16's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- 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
2.75
pawspaws's review against another edition
dark
medium-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
4.75
d_roseeee's review against another edition
5.0
a horrifyingly, beautifully written, terrible, terrible book. i certainly had the intended experience in reading it!
angelicprose's review against another edition
5.0
♡˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ 5 stars !
nabokov's writing is absolutely enchanting, to say the least.
the way the narrator tries to persuade you with this romantic prose is so truly horrifying - and i consider this book 'psychological horror' because you are literally in the story, being told this by a perverted man and having to make your own personal thoughts about the situation.
dolores is such a good character and i would've loved to see her be able to have a good childhood and see her butt heads with her mother about how badly she wants to be a starlet and perform.
i see why people hate this - because it's triggering - but i feel that the gut-wrenching situation was handled very nicely as in he didn't add explicit sex scenes, he illustrated the horrors of pedophilia and did not romanticize it, and he lets the reader create their own opinion of the situation instead of shoving a message down their throats.
there are so many quotes from this book that i love, i definitely want to read something else by this man.
anyway, i love horrifying, gut-wrenching, but beautifully written books so this was definitely up my ally.
nabokov's writing is absolutely enchanting, to say the least.
the way the narrator tries to persuade you with this romantic prose is so truly horrifying - and i consider this book 'psychological horror' because you are literally in the story, being told this by a perverted man and having to make your own personal thoughts about the situation.
dolores is such a good character and i would've loved to see her be able to have a good childhood and see her butt heads with her mother about how badly she wants to be a starlet and perform.
i see why people hate this - because it's triggering - but i feel that the gut-wrenching situation was handled very nicely as in he didn't add explicit sex scenes, he illustrated the horrors of pedophilia and did not romanticize it, and he lets the reader create their own opinion of the situation instead of shoving a message down their throats.
there are so many quotes from this book that i love, i definitely want to read something else by this man.
anyway, i love horrifying, gut-wrenching, but beautifully written books so this was definitely up my ally.
inari777's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-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
3.75
sentetia's review
1.0
DNF in Chapter 6.
Nope. Can't stomach this one.
The writing style reads like the books we were forced to read in school, but disgusting in a way that is even too much for me. - Reading the detailed thought process of a pedophile just triggers my acid reflex.
Nope. Can't stomach this one.
The writing style reads like the books we were forced to read in school, but disgusting in a way that is even too much for me. - Reading the detailed thought process of a pedophile just triggers my acid reflex.