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Lolita
317 pages, 1989
When author Vladimir Nabokov released his controversial novel “Lolita” in 1955, readers were shocked by the story of Humbert Humbert's obsessive, devouring, doomed passion for the nymphet Dolores Haze. Humbert is a European who has come to America in order to make money. He is a writer and scholar who has been forced to give up teaching after he was caught seducing one of his college students. Readers are drawn into his story as if it were unfolding before their very eyes.
They also see Humbert's reflection in Lolita as she grows up from a young girl into a teenager and eventually goes off to college. Lolita is an exploration of love--more specifically, it's an exploration of love as an outrageous force that can cause a person to hallucinate and become mentally ill if he or she does not quarantine it.
In Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov presents us with complex characters that are neither entirely good nor entirely evil. Humbert Humbert, the protagonist, is a deeply flawed individual, yet he is also intelligent and articulate. This complexity makes the characters feel real and encourages us to explore their motivations and actions.
Nabokov's use of language in Lolita is nothing short of masterful. He uses beautiful, poetic prose to describe disturbing events, creating a stark contrast that is both unsettling and captivating. This book will make you see the power of language in a new light.
Lolita is a prime example of an unreliable narrator. Humbert's narration is biased and self-serving, and it's up to us as readers to see through his lies and manipulations. This book will challenge you to question what you're told and dig deeper into the story.
Nabokov wasn't afraid to tackle taboo subjects in his work. Lolita deals with themes of obsession, manipulation, and pedophilia, which are uncomfortable but important to discuss. Reading this book can help us understand the importance of addressing difficult topics in literature.
Finally, Lolita makes us question the role of art in society. Can a book be considered great literature if its content is morally reprehensible? This is a question that Nabokov forces us to grapple with, and it's one that will make you think long after you've finished reading.
Quotes 5
Lolita is not a novel about a pedophile, but a novel about a man who knows he is doing wrong, and does it anyway. It's a moral investigation into the darkest corners of human nature.
Martin Amis - Novelist, Essayist, MemoiristLolita is a work of art, a true masterpiece that transcends its controversial subject matter to explore the depths of human obsession and desire.
John Banville - Novelist, ScreenwriterLolita is a book that refuses to be forgotten, a haunting exploration of obsession and self-destruction.
Stephen King - Horror Fiction AuthorLolita is a masterpiece of stylistic brilliance, a novel that uses language to seduce and ensnare the reader.
Harold Bloom - Literary CriticLolita is a novel of disturbing beauty, a work that confronts the reader with the darkest aspects of human desire.
Joyce Carol Oates - Author, Playwright
