aliceedelweiss

I just finished this little gem, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, a few minutes ago. Amazing piece of work! It is certainly one of my top 5 although I'm not sure where in the top 5 it fits. I'm really glad I finally got around to reading this, it was amazing.

The plot on its own, its excellent, but the way it is presented is just as grand. Nabokov gave amazing narration through H.H. I loved the ending, how he directly talks to the reader about when he wrote the book. I remember at one point he does something like this: "Lolita, Lolita, lolita,lolita (continue until its a full page, editor)" or something like that. its just an extraordinary style. Amazing! What are your thoughts?

Alice

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strangedaze

loves it. especially the oft-cited vanity fair blurb: 'the only convincing love story of our century.' hello? the book is about a pedophile and his nymphette step-daughter/lover. score. the world is a depraved place.

the best part is that N-dawg fashioned something powerful and, dare i say, passionate and beautiful out of something so taboo. i started reading lolita because i enjoy being disturbed; i ended up being wowed by the author's incredible grasp of language. very poetic.

can an aging intellectual who fucks little girls stir up pathos? can the bizarre, exploitative love between Hum-Hum and Lil' Lo make you both swoon and sick inside?

yeah baby. yeah.



sd

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His sins were scarlet, but his books were read.

aliceedelweiss

oh I agree completely! It is the best love story of our century! And I think only because Hum-hum loves Lolita completely! How much I wanted her to leave Dick for him!!! But alas, it was not to be.

It brings out so much emotion. Really, if anyone plans on writing an emotional story involving love, read this first!

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Girl in Story

It's an incredible story.

I love how it switches into third person on occasion and it flips between an average speaking style and a lyrical poetic style involving things like "tangles or thorns" and "winged jurors" to the point where the reader feels vaguely mentally disoriented.

So you if you feel mentally disoriented, you can related to H.H. even better.

It pretty much rocks.

Stewart

Now go back and read it - the fictional introduction, at least - and see how much Nabokov actually told you about the story without you realising until the end, where you've forgotten this seemingly pointless preface.

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book reviews | world lit forum

Cervantes

It's very Poe-esque. But, nonetheless, it is a good read.

I was told that I was a pedophile for reading it.

Mr Sci Fi

Certainly an achievement in language. Possibly the best opening paragraph in literature.

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"The writer you envy today will probably have reason to envy you tomorrow." - Orson Scott Card

Buddy Glass

Hardly a "little gem" though, is it? More like a whopping, sprawling piece of poetry. Because that's what it is to me. Poetry. Beautiful, beautiful poetry.

Check out Martin Amis' entertaining (is he ever boring?) essay on Lolita.

AngelinaXXX

I sort of agree with the view of the standard and quality of the book, it is a MUST read, but I am always amazed at the different interpretations people have in respect of this book. Love story?? I am abhored, it is no more a love story than Anna Karenina is a comedy.

It is a story of obsession, control, grooming and finally abuse of a nubile girl. It could be arguedthat on the face of it the sexually aware teenager is consenting but she is actually being taken advantage of by an obsessive paedophile.

But all the same, no matter how you look at it, it is a fantastic examination of the sexual psyche and a real window into the minds and behaviour of the characters. I have rarely seen it done better and as you say, it is a thrilling and emotive read.

SadLuckDame

This book disturbed me so, as now I'll never forget it. It introduced emotions brand new to me. I felt horrid for enjoying it, but was so lulled into feeling some amount of care for HH by the end. I was fascinated that I could hate him immediately and then finding how I was almost completely forgiving, and understanding by the conclusion. An amazing author! Was it love? Was it a sicko? I sat thinking over those two questions for days.

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Well, it was a nice check, Kitty, and really I might have won, if it hadn't been for that nasty Knight, that came wriggling down among my pieces. Kitty, dear, let's pretend -- -" And here I wish I could tell you half the things Alice used to say, beginning with her favorite phrase "Let's pretend."
written by Lewis Carroll