Has anyone read Lolita?

Oh for fuck's sake, the last thing Lolita is is a paedophile's charter. It is very beautiful and very frightening and the two things can't be separated because so much of that beauty is in the narrator's twisted words, and I suppose that might mean that someone could find phrases that out of context sound like an apologia for child abuse. In context, though, that's just not how it works.

I haven't read it for years because it left me dazed for a week, but the line that's stuck most comes after a few charming, funny, self-justifying paras from the narrator. Here it is: 'and her sobs in the night -every night, every night - the moment I feigned sleep'. It's his intelligence and his self-protection falling away as for a second he sees what he's actually doing.

TL/DR: You're reading a book with a criminal narrator. What did you expect them to be? Likeable? Easy to identify with? Grow up.

AnyFucker - I wouldn't recommend you read it.

BUT it is a true classic and a fabulous book, and what literature should be about. I don't think there is enough in it that any peadophile would get off on, but it does shine a light into human depravity. I think Nabokov choose it as a pretty uniformly condemned crime, and one carried out in a way which from the outline is despicable. But is written in such a way you can see the protagonists point of view.
In the right circumstances could we commit acts of similar magnitude to Hubert? If not - what do we have he doesn't?
How could people like him be stopped?

The films and the way the media portray it totally miss the point.

BUT I say only read it if you are in a really good place.

Yes, that beautiful prose has warmed many a paedophile's fiery loins, I am sure

I love Lolita. Humbert Humbert is the perfect anti-hero, and Nabokov's writing so beautiful.

I love Brices comment above.

The writing is beautiful - so skilfully done - but the narrative voice doesn't change so if it's not speaking to you now, that's unlikely to change!

I love the musicality of Nabakov's writing:

"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."

Don't bother finishing it. Yes, he is a good writer, which means that you will be stuck with images and scenes in your head that you cannot delete and that you really don't want to have in there. It is a truly horrible book, however well written.

Dolores ('Lolita') is 12 in the book, as I remember. Hollywood made her a far more 'acceptable' 14. And I agree with the poster who commented on the book jacket, the one I had was all 'sexy schoolgirl'. Revolting.

The only Nabakov I have enjoyed is Bend Sinister - if you like dystopian fiction, that is worth a read.

I picked it up in the library recently, read the first page and put it back again for the sake of my blood pressure

Disgusting self indulgent book.

i didnt finish it, it made my skin crawl

Almost finished this. Regardless how you feel about Humbert, I don't understand how anyone who's read the book can say it isn't well-written.

I need to read some of his other books. Lolita is the only one I've read.

One of my favourite books. So cleverly written and I find it very funny too, especially the road trip stuff.

I've read it but found it really disturbing. I've read other, better, Nabokov so don't be put off the author by this novel.

Extremely well-written and thought provoking.

It is very similar to Death In Venice really.

Not worth finishing. I didn't feel sorry for Humbert. I thought he was a vile, disgusting, evil pervert (and the author is too - have read other stuff he wrote).

I thought the writing was crap, too. And I have a first-class degree in English lit from a top uni, so I'm not judging it from a position of total ignorance

Hate Humbert, like no other character. The power of the writing makes me feel like I gain an understanding of him as a human being. I would prefer it if I could view him "simply as evil". Read this novel several times and each time I see new horrors and new experiences of shared humanity.

I found it very well written and interesting. The character of Humbert is intelligent and self-aware, he knows his feelings and actions are monstrous, he admits it to the reader, but can't stop himself. Its done so well that you almost feel sorry for him! Not very true to life though, I don't think, as a rule, actual paedophiles would be self aware and remorseful in this way. They would try and justify themselves.

Not all stories have to be nice, that's true. But life is short so I'll skip the 'love stories' about child abuse because they make me feel ill.

And I agree about the marketing and film makers. Most people assume Lolita to be about a sexy young teenager, using her charms on an older man. The book is actually about a pre pubescent child targeted by a paedophile.

I don't care if I lose literary cred or look uncultured, I genuinely thought it was awful. I don't remember noticing the writing style.

Agree with Morris. Hated it. And although we are not supposed to collude with the narrator you end up seeing things through his eyes and of course Hollywood and the book publishers collude by illustrating it in a titilating fashion with lascivious pics of a desirous girl in provocative clothes when it really should just be pics of an awful man in a dirty mac.

The equivalent material about the rape of boys would not be so represented.

Love it - one of my top five novels ever! :)

I love Nabokov. My favourite is The Defence. Morris, why did you think it was crap? It's not supposed to be nice or enjoyable. Humbert is supposed to be vile and pathetic. It's the complex, but clear, writing style that makes it a classic. Not all stories have to be nice.

Yes, a few times, loved it. Beautifully written and of course you're not supposed to feel any sympathy towards the revolting Humbert.

I read it decades ago at university and thought it was vile crap.

I am beggared if I can see why it has classic status. I hated it and feel quite angry that we were required to read it. I was only 18, not old enough to say to a lecturer no thanks this is awful.

I can still remember some of the scenes now and I wishi I didn't. I can't unread it :(