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Where was I when I read this in college? I remember thinking the language was beautiful, and being shocked to realize I had to have the sex scene pointed out to me in class. This time it was so glaringly obvious, and oh my god! Did I change? Am I a better or more observant reader now? All I can say is that this time I was horrified at the crimes described in this novel.
Nov 18, 2008
Nanosynergy
rated it
really liked it
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review of another edition
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This is a dark tale told by an erudite sociopath. I really hate to give it 4 stars due to its subject matter, but I have to admit I stayed up late last night finishing it (after nearly giving up earlier due to a couple of particularly distasteful scenes). A shift in the latter half of the book both surprised and engaged me - so I persevered and finished it.
Nabokov's writing is outstanding. His vocabulary impressive. His wordplay references art, literature, and theater, etc. and I'm sure often we ...more
Nabokov's writing is outstanding. His vocabulary impressive. His wordplay references art, literature, and theater, etc. and I'm sure often we ...more
May 28, 2007
Jessica Haider
rated it
it was amazing
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review of another edition
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A funny, chilling, and haunting novel that is amongst my favorite reads. Nabakov skillfully does the unimaginable---he creates a sympathetic pedophile in his narrator, Humbert Humbert. It is a testament to Nabakov's skill that the reader's minds get twisted around to believing that Humbert is not a bad guy and thinking that there is nothing wrong with his behavior. Disturbing and highly recommended!
...more
May 22, 2008
Lexy Harper
rated it
it was amazing
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review of another edition
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my-five-star-rated
After I had read the first few chapters of this book I wrote:
This book is going to tough to review. The writing is superb but the subject matter is so distrubing that I sometimes find myself wanting to close the book. I sometimes do - for about ten mintues or so - then I find myself re-opening the book and contiuning to read.
I have finished it now and here is my review:
Vladmir Nabokov is a writer of rare talent, his use of language is exquisite. He gets so deeply under the skin of the main chara ...more
This book is going to tough to review. The writing is superb but the subject matter is so distrubing that I sometimes find myself wanting to close the book. I sometimes do - for about ten mintues or so - then I find myself re-opening the book and contiuning to read.
I have finished it now and here is my review:
Vladmir Nabokov is a writer of rare talent, his use of language is exquisite. He gets so deeply under the skin of the main chara ...more
I liked this book better at the beginning than at the end. I started out giving it 5 stars. The wordplay was delightful. The sarcasm and irony was grand. However, I just could not really see this happening the way he portrays. Yes, I know it is a novel and he has poetic license and all but many of the scenes were quite far fetched.
What the heck was up with Humbert Humbert licking Lolita's eyeball? Maybe I missed something. I did like the scene where they both stay home from church and he gets h ...more
What the heck was up with Humbert Humbert licking Lolita's eyeball? Maybe I missed something. I did like the scene where they both stay home from church and he gets h ...more
I bought a copy of Lolita when I lived in Seoul. Four or five people borrowed it and no one finished it. They all disliked it.
I liked Lolita quite a lot but it's taken forever to read it. I've contemplated that it could be because I read it on my kindle and I sort of wonder if I read slower on it. I've thought it might just be the book because after the first section when the wife dies a lot of the tension leaves the narrative and I had a bit of a sense that I was just waiting for the relations ...more
I liked Lolita quite a lot but it's taken forever to read it. I've contemplated that it could be because I read it on my kindle and I sort of wonder if I read slower on it. I've thought it might just be the book because after the first section when the wife dies a lot of the tension leaves the narrative and I had a bit of a sense that I was just waiting for the relations ...more
I honestly didn't make it through all of this book. A super-hyped book I couldn't stomach enough to finish it, and honestly didn't understand all of the appeal and ravings about it. I work as a social worker and have worked with child victims, and it honestly made my stomach turn. I feel like I should try to read the whole thing before I judge though, so I might give it another go some day when the material isn't so raw for me.
...more
Humbert Humbert is a depraved middle aged man who is interested in his stepdaughter. There is much to be disgusted about but Nabakov grabs you with his writing. A master in using words as a game.
May 10, 2010
ms.petra
marked it as to-read
Oct 01, 2011
Elizabeth
marked it as to-read
Dec 11, 2009
Sabrina
marked it as to-read
