Sign in with Facebook
Lori's Reviews > Lolita
Lolita
by
by
I've lost count how many times I've read "Lolita." Ten is a guess, could be more. I love it.
(But not the covers. I want to take a sharpie to every one of them.)
I love Nabokov. He's not for everyone. No one is.
What follows is some advice and observations from me to those who are surprised and/or dismayed to find this famous infamous novel confusing (it can be) and disgusting (it's not) and Vlad a revolting, talentless hack (again, not).
I mean well.
Warning:
Do not read "Lolita" if you trust unreliable narrators.
DNF if by page 50 you still think her name is Lolita.
Advice and observations:
Her name is Dolores.
It's derived from the root "dolor." There are no coincidences in Nabokov.
Nabokov's books have a lot to say. But first, foremost and always they are about language, which he manipulates in the most spectacular ways: amazing.
Reading him requires, besides a taste for him, patience and hard work.
The harder you work the more you'll get out of it and each reading promises you'll get more each time.
But at first you don't have to work so hard.
There is no shame in annotated editions. Sometimes they're practically mandatory. And always respectable.
If you are new to "Lolita" an annotated version is an excellent choice, especially if you're also new to Nabokov.
The choice of an annotated "Lolita" combines your admirable humility with your sincere desire to appreciate Nabokov's art. You may still dislike the book and the writer, but it will be informed dislike; you and he will have earned it.
Or skip "Lolita" altogether. No shame in that.
Either way is far superior to reading it, hating it and posting a review full of outrage and fury and TMI over the exploitation you suffered in your own beautiful blonde childhood, and how you didn't ask for it (neither does she) and you're insulted Lolita (not her real name) is so flirtatious (she isn't) and deliberately enticing (she isn't) and a willing party to it all (no no no) and how dare Nabokov.
And you make your points using GIFs from Clueless.
Sincerely yours,
Vivian Darkbloom
(But not the covers. I want to take a sharpie to every one of them.)
I love Nabokov. He's not for everyone. No one is.
What follows is some advice and observations from me to those who are surprised and/or dismayed to find this famous infamous novel confusing (it can be) and disgusting (it's not) and Vlad a revolting, talentless hack (again, not).
I mean well.
Warning:
Do not read "Lolita" if you trust unreliable narrators.
DNF if by page 50 you still think her name is Lolita.
Advice and observations:
Her name is Dolores.
It's derived from the root "dolor." There are no coincidences in Nabokov.
Nabokov's books have a lot to say. But first, foremost and always they are about language, which he manipulates in the most spectacular ways: amazing.
Reading him requires, besides a taste for him, patience and hard work.
The harder you work the more you'll get out of it and each reading promises you'll get more each time.
But at first you don't have to work so hard.
There is no shame in annotated editions. Sometimes they're practically mandatory. And always respectable.
If you are new to "Lolita" an annotated version is an excellent choice, especially if you're also new to Nabokov.
The choice of an annotated "Lolita" combines your admirable humility with your sincere desire to appreciate Nabokov's art. You may still dislike the book and the writer, but it will be informed dislike; you and he will have earned it.
Or skip "Lolita" altogether. No shame in that.
Either way is far superior to reading it, hating it and posting a review full of outrage and fury and TMI over the exploitation you suffered in your own beautiful blonde childhood, and how you didn't ask for it (neither does she) and you're insulted Lolita (not her real name) is so flirtatious (she isn't) and deliberately enticing (she isn't) and a willing party to it all (no no no) and how dare Nabokov.
And you make your points using GIFs from Clueless.
Sincerely yours,
Vivian Darkbloom
Sign into ŷ to see if any of your friends have read
Lolita.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
December 8, 2013
– Shelved
September 9, 2019
– Shelved as:
reviewed
Comments Showing 1-50 of 86 (86 new)
message 1:
by
Moonkiszt
(new)
-
added it
Sep 09, 2019 08:52AM
Thank you for your guidance. I will be reading this for the first time soon, and have wondered how to approach it after all the warnings that are out there. I will keep your shared advocacy. . .the words of a friendly of the author and work. . .close. Again, it is appreciated, Vivian.
reply
|
flag
Lori: 10 Me: 0 I'm going to rectify that .... I think, because you make me want to.
Moonkiszt wrote: "Thank you for your guidance. I will be reading this for the first time soon, and have wondered how to approach it after all the warnings that are out there. I will keep your shared advocacy. . .the..."Moonkiszt, my pleasure! This is why I wrote it, and I'm so looking forward to reading your thoughts soon.
Cathrine ☯️ wrote: "Lori: 10 Me: 0 I'm going to rectify that .... I think, because you make me want to."
Catherine: 10
And thank you so much!
Nicely done. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and also wow. Smart cookie.
There are parts of Lolita I read aloud to savor the feel of them in my mouth.
Brilliant review!
Yes, yes and yes. I was of the opinion that it was a terrible book until a good friend told me, nicely, to shut up and read it - for the language if nothing else. I was shocked at how effectively Nabokov showed how very harmed and broken Dolores was by Humbert's predations and how he did so through Humbert's own self-serving words and justifications. It really is a brilliant book.
I love this review! And I agree - something needs to be done about the covers. The most recent is a tad better, but when I first read it, she was on the cover in red heart-shaped sunglasses licking a red lollipop. Gross.
I agree with you I don't like the covers, either!And the author is not for everyone, there you're right too without any doubt!
*patience and hard work*
I loved your review Lori , it is not only a review of the book but of the way the author has written it and what should or should not be expected!
Cheers to your selection of words!
Great review, Lori! You make really interesting points. I'm glad this is a book you can read over and over and still find terrific! :)
Shaina, Kelly, Sid, Nicola, Yun, thank you so much! That you get it makes me very happy :)
Mrs. Danvers wrote: "There are parts of Lolita I read aloud to savor the feel of them in my mouth."I love reading Nabokov aloud and that's because I know the material.
But when I imagine someone unfamiliar just listening on Audible it makes me want to cry. There should be a ban on recording Nabokov's books!
How can you hear an anagram? They're tough enough. How could you possibly get the wordplay?
And Pale Fire, my fave, how could they ever record it? In order? That would ruin it! And what of the index?
But yes, Mrs. Danvers, I'm thinking many lovers of Nabokov love to read him aloud.
I think even he did, to his beloved Vera.
Ella wrote: "I love this review! And I agree - something needs to be done about the covers. The most recent is a tad better, but when I first read it, she was on the cover in red heart-shaped sunglasses licking..."Thanks, Ella!
And yes, OMG, the covers.
Someone reviewed the book using the lollipop as a GIF. I think it's from the Jeremy Irons film.
And someone else or that same review used the heart-shaped sunglasses.
And there's of course Blondie (sorry, Debbie Harry) with one of the most-liked reviews. Sorry if she's anyone's GR's friends but if she is do a public service and gently tell her she, um, missed the whole point.
And now, Ella, i'm off to pick a different cover because that shot is so annoying and I'm absolutely certain the one I read in college and held on to years and where is it now anyway? did not have a photo at all.
Fixed. :)Some of the covers...and some of the descriptions!...yikes.
Alison wrote: "Yes, yes and yes. I was of the opinion that it was a terrible book until a good friend told me, nicely, to shut up and read it - for the language if nothing else. I was shocked at how effectively N..."Alison, thanks! Your friend who told you to shut up and read it sounds awesome. Love what you wrote about the book! :)
Lori wrote: "Shaina, Kelly, Sid, Nicola, Yun, thank you so much! That you get it makes me very happy :)"You're welcome dear Lori! :)
the covers collude with the idea that Lolita was a seductress. The book publishers are really unbelievable, pandering to a paedophilic prurience that no doubt got the cash registers ringing. I assume many readers were disappointed by the lack of sex scenes. Also recommended
/review/show...
Paul wrote: "the covers collude with the idea that Lolita was a seductress. The book publishers are really unbelievable, pandering to a paedophilic prurience that no doubt got the cash registers ringing. I assu..."Thank you, Paul. Amazing and i did go to the link and loved your review. About 200 books from now I'd like to read it -- but it will pale next to your review.
thanks Lori - I was so pleased someone took the trouble to amass the information to prove how this lazy stereotype has infiltrated the thinking of our whole culture.
Paul wrote: "thanks Lori - I was so pleased someone took the trouble to amass the information to prove how this lazy stereotype has infiltrated the thinking of our whole culture."Thank you, Paul. You're a revelation. And I was inspired by a GR friend's humble update that she was somewhat confused by it (kisses, you know who you are) and conversely by GR's second-most popular view of de lor es.
(btw, do you know that "Ada and Ardour," short "a", sound exactly alike in a certain Boston accent he would have heard quite often while at Wellesley? his earned misery there and in New Wye was not in vain)
No Clueless GIFs from me (sorry), but I wanted to register how good and thoughtful a review this is, which is especially important for such a controversial novel.
Thanks very much, Cecily.
Elyse (retired from reviewing/semi hiatus) wrote: "Wonderful review!!!!!!!"Thanks, Elyse! I do best with stream-of-consciousness, which this is. Will miss your reviews terribly, but glad your hiatus is a semi.
Your review is unbelievably good! The annotated edition it is. Thank you.
What made you rate it 5 stars? I've been torn on reading this, but seeing the book is about a man wanting a 12 year old sexually, it's a little hard to want to read that subject matter.
Jo-Ann wrote: "Your review is unbelievably good! The annotated edition it is. Thank you."Thanks, Jo-Ann! Please make sure I see your review, would be interested in your thoughts!
Cas wrote: "What made you rate it 5 stars? I've been torn on reading this, but seeing the book is about a man wanting a 12 year old sexually, it's a little hard to want to read that subject matter."If that is a current photo of you, you need to wait about ten years with a Professor of English Literature or twenty on your own, in which case I recommend the annotated.
This is a brilliant work of literature by the master of the unreliable narrator and wordplay, Vlad N.
Those who take it literally think they've read the book but point of my review is that indeed they have not actually read "Lolita" (whose names is Delores at all times) but rather a nonexistent book they spun off from the pages, frequently inserting themselves in between the spaces between the words.
Hope that helps, Cas.
Hey Lori, I do look fairly young but I am 26! Current photo is very recent, but I understand the concern for age and understanding context. But thank you, your input has helped a lot as I hear a lot of very controversial opinions about it, which is why I'm hesitant
Cas wrote: "Hey Lori, I do look fairly young but I am 26! Current photo is very recent, but I understand the concern for age and understanding context. But thank you, your input has helped a lot as I hear a lo..."So sorry, Cas. I never looked my age and hah I still don't but now it's an asset. I apologize. I've embarrassed myself badly and hopefully not you....
As for the book, yes, you want to take the guided tour. Almost all of the book takes place in his mind, his sick sick delusional mind, which many people don't get or they don't agree with or they believe him an unworthy protagonist (years later Jay Easton Ellis was celebrated for "American Psycho" which owes much to Lolita) and Nab himself was accused of being a pedo for writing it...
For this and other reasons he and beloved wife Vera lit out for Switzerland as soon as he made enough money in the U.S. to get out of here!...
Cas, I recommend the guided tour if you don't have access to a uni professor who will do for you what my wonderful prof did for me, or else it's the annotated for you! And then hold off till second reading to make your judgments...
Yeah, I have an opinion or two on this topic. This review was written spontaneously in response to several things including another GR review which has a prominent spot and which upon reading I hoped was a parody. Alas not. That review is in a suitably twisted way a perfect tribute to Vee En as well as Aitch Aitch and Dolor...es. 🦋
It's been years since I've read this book. I wasn't 18 yet and didn't read an annotated edition, but I did some research on this book that was considered as one of the best novels of the 20th century precisely because from what I heard about it, I couldn't understand why. After doing so, I read it and liked it. When I added it on ŷ, I rated it 3 stars since like I said it's been years and I just remember thinking it was a good book and that I liked it.I also remember feeling ashamed at the idea of telling someone I thought it was a good book and almost not adding it when I joined ŷ. I'd like to thank you for your review and for saying this needs to stop. Those people should stop a second and think about the fact that they're insulting others victims by saying people who think it's a good book don't care about children being victims of abuse.
You also made me want to read it a second time, great review and once again, thank you Lori.
Catherine wrote: "It's been years since I've read this book. I wasn't 18 yet and didn't read an annotated edition, but I did some research on this book that was considered as one of the best novels of the 20th centu..."Catherine, thank you so much!
I've been re-editing my response to Cas be less spoiler-y and hopefully more coherent. I appreciate Cas's honest questions and love all the comments and attention to this book I love dearly (though "Pale Fire" is my favorite).
Your comments are so wonderfully validating. Thank you, Catherine. A wonderful way to end another day spent in the wonderland that is GR.
Hi Lori, agai n applause for your Lolita review! I tried the annotated version but it os a .no go for me.
Your Lolita review renains outstanding but the annotated edition was not for me. SO I am now reading his original text. I can get heip fom one of the manuals that can be used for further understanding. I will keep you posted
Jo-Ann wrote: "Your Lolita review renains outstanding but the annotated edition was not for me. SO I am now reading his original text. I can get heip fom one of the manuals that can be used for further understand..."Thank you twice over.
Whatever works (or doesn't) for you. Long as you promise not to post pedo-magnetic pics of yourself as a provocative teenager and then whine in a review on a social media site with four million Readers about how Vlad and the book exploit Delores the same way you were exploited and the photos prove it. Ugh! Yuk!
A truly excellent review. If you ever get a chance, you might want to read Lolita: The Story of a Cover Girl: Vladimir Nabokov's Novel in Art and Design, edited by John Bertram. This is about what covers have been used throughout the world for Lolita, some suggestions people have made about covers, and what Nabokov actually wanted for his ideal cover:I want pure colours, melting clouds, accurately drawn details, a sunburst above a receding road with the light reflected on furrows and ruts, after rain. And no girls.
But furrows and ruts probably wouldn't sell as well as lollipops.
Steve wrote: "A truly excellent review. If you ever get a chance, you might want to read Lolita: The Story of a Cover Girl: Vladimir Nabokov's Novel in Art and Design, edited by John Bertram. This is about what ..."Steve, thank you so much, also for the rec and especially for the great comment. I've never seen that quote and Nab is one of my two favorite authors (with Proust, one of his, in some ways, and his favorite poet, Poe). I will definitely read the book, have added it, it sounds fascinating. Very gratefully, Lori :)
I think, even worse than the angry reviews from ignorant victims are the glowing purple-prose reviews from adult men who seem to half-defend HH & imply that Dolores was deliberately enticing. Those men scare me.
Nals wrote: "I think, even worse than the angry reviews from ignorant victims are the glowing purple-prose reviews from adult men who seem to half-defend HH & imply that Dolores was deliberately enticing. Those..."I don't think they're worse but agree they're bad. The review that partly inspired this one has since been removed. Not only did she completely miss the substance of the book, as most people do, but she posted pics of herself when she was a young victim of a pedophile. It substantially inspired this stream-of-consciousness from me and I'm glad it's gone and kinda proud. But yes, those guys are ultra creepy too. Thanks for your comment, Nais :))
Great review, Lori! I agree, Lolita is nothing short of brilliant; Nabokov's master statement. I haven't enjoyed 'Invitation to a Beheading' or 'Pnin' nearly as much sadly. 'Pale Fire' is next, and I know how highly you hold that book; I am hoping I can soon say the same for it.
Matthew wrote: "Great review, Lori! I agree, Lolita is nothing short of brilliant; Nabokov's master statement. I haven't enjoyed 'Invitation to a Beheading' or 'Pnin' nearly as much sadly. 'Pale Fire' is next, and..."Thanks so much, Mathew! I love "Pnin." Also "Ada or Ardour" (which are pronounced identically in a Boston accent and he taught at Wellesley, a bit of wordplay you almost have to have lived in or near Boston to get. And a boatload, but "Pnin" is special to me and I'm going to look for your review and hope to find one..
You know and you've referred to it, "Pale Fire" is my favorite book of all of his. And along with Proust my favorite book. Nab loved Proust. Fans of both know the feeling would not have been mutual 🤣 I so look forward to your review of "Pale Fire" and would love to follow along as you read it.
I'm glad to see you put in a plug for annotated versions of the novel because Lolita is one of the great novels of the Twentieth Century by one of the great writers of the Twentieth Century, but alas you are so right...it is horribly misunderstood on both ends of the spectrum. Perverts and pedophiles on one side of the aisle, along with the aggrieved and self-righteous on the other, both either seem to willfully or ignorantly misunderstand what they are reading.For a while on GoodReads, I enjoyed spending time on Lolita discussion threads just to gratuitously bathe in the combination of outraged indignation and awkward perversion being expressed there. But it got so tiring and boring after a while... So maybe an annotated version of the novel would help these folks, but I'd guess a willful misunderstanding won't really be helped by anything, even annotations by scholars and critics.
If I may put in my own plug, Alfred Appel's Annotated Lolita is the version I read...he was a student of Nabokov and a professor of mine. Unfortunately, I never took a Nabokov class from him, but I had a course with him about Film and Literature, and he really had a profound impact on my understanding of books and media.
And it has exactly the kind of neutral cover you recommend!
Lori wrote: "Matthew wrote: "Great review, Lori! I agree, Lolita is nothing short of brilliant; Nabokov's master statement. I haven't enjoyed 'Invitation to a Beheading' or 'Pnin' nearly as much sadly. 'Pale Fi..."I did enjoy 'Pnin', a fun read, but not as much as 'Lolita'. On the whole, I found 'Beheading' a fairly poor novel. Once I have acquired 'Pale Fire', I will endeavour to read!
Petergiaquinta wrote: "I'm glad to see you put in a plug for annotated versions of the novel because Lolita is one of the great novels of the Twentieth Century by one of the great writers of the Twentieth Century, but al..."Peter (hope I can call you that :) LOVE your comment. I wish I could fit the whole thing here again. Thanks for the rec on the annotated, sometime I may even read Alfred Appel's version. Hahahahahahaaha about gratuitously bathing in the discussion forums. You're a keeper ;)
A thoughtful and erudite defence of this contentious book, Lori.A book I read when I was sixteen.
Regards,
Nivek Orbsna
Kevin wrote: "A thoughtful and erudite defence of this contentious book, Lori.A book I read when I was sixteen.
Regards,
Nivek Orbsna"
Thanks, Nivek! Worth it to revisit at not-sixteen-anymore.
Vino Bankers says to say hi ;)...Lori
Lori wrote: "Thanks, Nivek! Worth it to revisit at not-sixteen-anymore.Vino Bankers says to say hi ;)...Lori..."
Thanks, Lori!
Very clever anagram of my name! Impressed. : )
Question: Do you think Dolores is plausible as a character? I've seen some people say she's not an accurate portrayal of a young girl, while others think she's written perfectly fine. What do you think?
Katsuro wrote: "Question: Do you think Dolores is plausible as a character? I've seen some people say she's not an accurate portrayal of a young girl, while others think she's written perfectly fine. What do you t..."Katsuro, he never wrote a single "plausible" character. That was never his intention, style or brilliance as a writer. And thank goodness or we'd never have his awe-inspiring oevre.
Heh. That's a good answer.
