Pros: The language! The comedy! The tragedy! That sad sap Humbert Humbert always gets to me.
Cons: The annotated version is a must-have for many.
The Bottom Line: Lolita is a "scholarly pursuit" (read: difficult) of "sensitive subject matter" (read: pedophilia). The novel is not explicit, but I do not suggest it for those disturbed by this topic.
Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.
So opens Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita, a masterpiece of modern literature. Lolita is one of my favorite novels. It is complex, verbose beyond belief, possibly disturbing, highly comedic, potentially maudlin, and brilliantly crafted.
Nabokov, an ingenius master of language, is one of the most talented writers ever. Through reading Lolita, I began to appreciate "punning" and allusive writing (Nabokov's work is often compared to James Joyce's [Ulysses, Finnegans Wake], which seems to be the trendy comparison whenever a writer shows an inkling of talent, a large vocabulary, and the ability to make crafty and well-placed allusions . . . although Nabokov did actually know Joyce. I digress.).
In a nutshell, Lolita is the story of one man's obsession. Humbert Humbert (a silly pseudonym) is a European who is oddly fixated and entranced by "nymphets" (i.e., young girls with certain qualities). The tale of Lolita vividly recounts Humbert's sad and dangerous need for nymphets. Lolita (aka Dolores, Dolly, Lo, etc.) is the main object of his desires, and he meets her (by fate's hand!) when she is but a wee twelve years old. She embodies his ideal nymphet, his lost Annabel (a girl he met when he was young and also an allusion to Edgar Allan Poe), his everything.
Unsettling? Well, it's supposed to be. And even though Humbert sounds completely despicable, Nabokov's textured and detailed writing makes him an almost sympathetic character. Humbert is self-deprecating (quite humorously, too) while pleading his case (he is the narrator throughout the book), and he attempts to make his passion logical for those (the jury) taking the time to read the chronicles of his life and his Lolita. Humbert wants us to understand his obsession, how Lolita becomes his veritable crutch. When she finally escapes his clutches (albeit an escape that is an "out of the frying pan, into the fire" kind of deal), he crumbles completely.
Lolita has been called numerous things, and it has been banned in numerous places at numerous times. But the gist of the tale is not pedophilia or sordid affairs (and Nabokov is not explicit in this novel). I believe there are several ways to examine Lolita. One is dissecting 1940s and 1950s America's culture and environment (Humbert and Lolita are on the road traversing the US for much of the book, and Nabokov rips into teenage slang and "vulgarities" throughout). Lolita is also about unrequited or misguided "love," of course, and how Humbert delves into his deviant role as Lo's protector and lover is a bit maddening, but not pornographic. The power struggles between Humbert and Lolita found throughout the novel show Humbert's muddled identity, and Humbert becomes more of an overzealous "dad" to Lolita than anything else. Nabokov even gives Humbert an alter ego (playwright Clare Quilty) to further demonstrate this point. Finally, the role of fate (Humbert coins it "Aubrey McFate") is a recurring theme in the novel, possibly another attempt by Humbert to give credence to his obsession.
I strongly believe this is one of the best modern books written. Nabokov's ability surpasses many others in his ilk, and he has created an indelible and complex story with Lolita. Yes, the book can be a difficult read, but I suggest it for anyone interested in reading a modern classic. Nabokov's astounding use of the English language (and Nabokov was a Russian, mind you) is phenomenal.
An aside: I highly suggest purchasing Alfred Appel Jr.'s The Annotated Lolita if you decide to tackle this book. It contains many helpful end notes to decipher confusing parts of the novel. (There is a decent amount of French in the book.) I also do not suggest either of the films. They are paler than pale comparisons to the experience of reading Lolita.
---
This was part of the CENSORSHIP WRITE-OFF. The participants are the following: Lagavulin, Rcarte2000, Jennjoy, Jankp, Brendamh, Hhassell99, Telefrog, ChrisJarmick, Bupkiss (why, that's me!), Mellkinwa, Eplovejoy, lkvanvoorhis, Sweetcece, bwyckoff1, scmrak, Hawgwyld, Phineaskc (special thanks to Phineaskc for getting this all together), and Angelabar.
Awe and exhiliration--along with heartbreak and mordant wit--abound in Lolita, Nabokov's most famous and controversial novel, which tells the story of...More at Bostic Media
When it was published in 1955, Lolita immediately became a cause celebre because of the freedom and sophistication with which it handled the unusual e...More at Audible.com
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.