Customer Reviews

Lolita (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (Vintage International (Pb))

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One of my favorite books. The true seduction that lies within "Lolita" is not between Humbert Humbert and Lolita, but rather between Nabakov and the reader. With his prose and voice, he lures the reader in, and--content matter be damned--I was rapt until the last page. While some may be uncomfortable with the subject matter, it is handled with great care and the characters are far too complex for this to be a simple matter of predator and prey. The details in the book are exquisite, from expressing a simple gesture, a heartbreaking emotion, or a surreal and ludicrous road trip through America. Each character is fascinating--their motives, thoughts, actions, morals, and desires are complex, but often comedic at heart. And there is no lack of humor in "Lolita", the author cleverly uses comedy, often to reveal the undeniable truths of his characters. This book is rare in that so many people who read it have such a strong opinion or reaction to it...for that reason, and for the outstanding writing, I highly recommend this beautifully written classic. No matter what your opinion--it will rouse, interest, amuse, and grab you emotionally from beginning to end.

I've always admired how native speakers of other languages are able to write so eloquently in English. Perhaps it is the way their native language shapes how they view the world. In Lolita Nabokov provides the reader with poetry in every paragraph.

Readers of diminished intelligence or those simply less open minded may be disgusted by the premise of this book. Keep in mind that while this was shocking in the 1950's, a 12 year old girl choosing to have sex is rather normal in 2010.

On to the story itself:

While Humbert's relationship with Lolita is the backdrop of this novel, what I found the central theme to be was Humbert's wrestling with his own mind, desires and society's perception of him and his actions. Is Humbert such a bad guy? What does Humbert think? Keep that in mind as you read, because the book is not about Lolita at all, but all about Humbert.

I've knocked off a star because, while I speak SOME French, one really has to be a fluent French speaker to understand some of the finer points about the thoughts going through our main character's head. Perhaps that makes this book all the more scholarly, but I found myself having to run to an online translator to make sense of some of the more complicated verses.

Having just re-read this novel once more, probably for the very last time, I'm struck by a few things. First off, without a doubt, Lolita is a great novel and Nabokov was a fantastic writer.

I picked this back up because I had read about the hullabaloo concerning his final unpublished novel that had been in the custody of his son. I had also heard the story on NPR how everything he worked on, he planned out of index cards, which as a writer, sounded very familiar and incredibly intriguing. Writers always want to know exactly how their peers and heroes are pulling off their masterpieces. It's like looking behind the curtain in certain aspects. The truth is though, even great writers stumble, great men do cry, women have secrets, and so on. Yes, I know ...

The first two-thirds of this book is very patiently written, complex and incredibly absorbing. In some places the reader almost feels guilty of reading something taboo and disgust creeps under the door frame quietly causing mild disturbance. Certain passages almost make you want to throw the book to the floor and go wash you hands of it, but you know that it was all intentional. Some of Nabokov's best writing is achieved in the first portions of this book without a doubt, and a few passages are indelible, touching and even sweet.

However, without gilding the lilly with praise which is easy to do, I must say that this book also has a few flaws. While the realism of the conclusion is probably factual and not fantasy, the tone of the writing obviously shifts because of it. Nabokov strings you along into dizzying heights of all kinds of interest and intrigue and then pulls the carpet out as the book closes, drying out his text like beef jerky left on hot concrete in the midday sun -- forcing real life down your throat in a very mechanical manner. I often wonder if some of this was due to the material itself, or suggestions and changes made by his agent or subsequent changes that he made himself during the editing process and so on. I can imagine his representation being frightened to push this book.

The point is that 'Lolita' almost collapses in on itself with it's ending. It seems like an ending to a different book entirely. Like the mid section of Oliver Twist where the lascivious and murderous deeds are removed for the length of almost a bible whilst our young Twist becomes a country squire and we have to endure a failing love-affair, the story degrades, interest wanes and the conclusion is read to the end, because you are compelled to see the ending even if it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the story. Many good books have the tendency to fall apart, but the world of novels is not today what it was yesterday and such is the curse of change, marketing and popular culture. It makes a person wonder if Nabokov wasn't making a parody of himself here and denigrating it openly by naming himself Humbert Humbert.

I think realistic conclusions are often better than overly-dramatic or contrived ones to be honest. I've done that myself and in the same genre, but if Nabokov had to submit Lolita today to the grinder of New York literary acceptance, the world would probably be minus one book.

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Wonderfully worded, and never a thought of remorse. The plot can be hard to get over at first, but keep reading, for it's far worthy of your attention.

Nabokov writes beautifully. His prose is practically poetry itself and he weaves an excellent story of obsession and possession and gratification and overindulgence. The narrator, Humbert, is achingly pathetic, and even he seems to realize this. He is not to be trusted, by the other characters or the reader, and to him almost every female over the age of consent is fat and old and worthless. At this point most of us know what the content of the book is about but I was rather surprised at the way it was set down. Don't worry, the content is not graphic, although maybe any mention of sex with a twelve year is too graphic. And of course that's the point you need to consider before you read this book. The "love" story is between a young girl and a man approaching middle age. And, honestly, it isn't really a love story at all. Humbert has always had fantasies about having a pubescent girl all to himself and he gets that with Dolores Haze. He's a man who should never have had his desires fulfilled, who should have been contented with small glimpses, and when he gets what he wants, gorges himself. Disturbing, dark, creepy, creepy, creepy, and surprisingly, a good read.

Lolita, oh Lolita, where do I begin? A writer at Vanity Fair once referred to this book as, "The only convincing love story of our century." I had read those words before reading it, and now having done so, agree. So convincing in fact, that I often questioned the author's moral values, sometimes even getting angry at him. Not Humbert the main character, but Nabokov himself. They seemed to be the same person; I was convinced that no man had in his soul the creativity Nabokov pretended to possess, to think like such a sick man, write so convincingly of it in the first person, and himself not be ill?
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As I read more it became apparent that the guy was simply brilliant and that my concerns were just the symptoms of reading a very convincing story. That just pissed me off more. Before, I thought his writings were the result of some sort of psychological madness, "he must have gone completely nuts..." I thought. Being someone who wants to write at least one great novel in my life and with "going nuts" something I've always felt destined for anyway, now there was hope at least that I would benefit greatly from it. But unfortunately for me, he wasn't mad, he was a fictional mastermind... My DNA will never deliver. Aarghh.
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I don't want to talk about the details of Lolita; the chances of me screwing it up for you are too great. It is a story of anticipation; a story where you never know what will happen next but can't wait to find out. I will not ruin that for you. What I will say is that it is one of the most realistic stories of all time. How the Russian Nabokov wrote a book in English about a French speaking immigrant is beyond me; but to do it so convincingly isn't short of miraculous. I know I haven't said much about the story, and I have told you why, so I will leave you with this; it is brilliant, the character's are brilliant, and if you're hung up on the plot... It's worth getting over... Nothing is condoned or glorified; it is not smut, it is beautiful,,, and did I mention Brilliant?
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I am so happy to have read this book, because I can now say that I did it and be done with it. Oh, how disturbing, but what a gifted writer - and English wasn't even his native tongue!

The subject matter, which I found distasteful, is presented so delicately the reader forgets for a moment the nymphet is a child and the HH is a criminal. Nabakov presents this tale so with so much self deprecating humor HH seems to be the victim.

Glad I'm done, on to something much happier.

I love the story, but I didn't like the quality of the binding and the paper-enough to convince me that this amazon purchase is two stars.

If you want to have your own private library, I don't think you'll be wanting this on your collection.

I've never been so impressed--yet so repulsed--by a piece of literature in all my days until I finally picked up this Vintage International edition of Vladimir Nabokov's disturbing novel, LOLITA. Because the story has become part of our cultural lexicon, we're all familiar with Nabokov's sordid tale of hapless Humbert Humbert's personal destruction because of his unflinching love for the conniving, manipulative, pubescent Dolly Haze (his Lolita). Accordingly, there are parts of this narrative that literally made my skin crawl. But the writing. . .

The writing is brilliant, darkly and fatalistically humorous, and flawless. All the more extraordinary to Nabokov's flowing prose is the very real fact English was not the author's first--or even second--language, but his tertiary endeavor. At the present I am attempting to learn Espanol; it is difficult at best to master a second language, so Nabokov's English fluidity two languages removed from his Russian mother tongue is all the more impressive. The writing is sweeping and engaging and extremely emotional; over and over, I found myself rereading certain passages and paragraphs, out loud, because I was so struck by Nabokov's dynamic symmetry. Again, brilliant, flawless, writing.

And again, this story is certainly not for the faint of heart, and you, as the reader, will be deeply disturbed by the problematic chain of events that take place through the pages of this novel. In many ways, this book very much reminds me of Malcolm Lowry's 'Under the Volcano': brilliantly written, horrific story. And just like Lowry's masterpiece, I have no intention of ever reading Nabokov's LOLITA again; the literary dichotomy is complete.
--D. Mikels, Author, The Reckoning