Lolita

At times titillating, but more often than not, profoundly disturbing. This book is incredibly well written, and Jeremy Iron's reading is nothing but superb. Like Shakespeare's plays, Lolita definitely benefits from being heard rather than read. It is written as a stream of consciousness, with the narrator jumping around from remembrance to remembrance, often going off on semi-related tangents before returning to what he was originally talking about. I would only recommend reading or listening to this book to people who are not uncomfortable with pulling on the skin of a sick individual and walking around for 10 hours or so.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

One of the best books I’ve ever read.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Stunning piece of art. If you love good literature you have to read this timeless masterpiece.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The characters and story are complex and addictive. You get into the story and see all the discrepencies in how people think and act. I cant wait to read it again. Loved it.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is a narsacisstic's dictation of his journey....horrible and horrible for the human soul. Not that the subject is taboo....the deplorable self absorbed, self importance....makes you want to punch him in the face. No matter how well written...it is blah. Weak...

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Lolita is underage with the mind of a woman. Hot!

The greatest voice in the world.

It was good! Fantastically written and beautifully narrorated. Yes it is a distrubing read, but its good to know the perspective of someone people so easily look away because of the weight of the topic. people like Humbet Humbert exist all around us. Before we try them before a grand jury, we must know what goes on in their minds. Then we lock them away, of course. What makes them look towards innocent children? How do children suffer and what happens to them when they become adults. SPOLIER ALERT!! I was happy to read of Dolly Shiller/Haze as an adult but to be honest, not all abused children have her "happy ending". Im glad to have this novel part of my collection.

The subject matter, disturbing. The events, disgusting. The story of a deluded pervert's debauchery and a young blossom's mutated bloom threatens to defile the readers themselves. However, if you can bear through this horrible topic to the end and give each character careful consideration, you'll glimpse the tragic shame of humanity and history. As a tale, Lolita is grotesque, in the true meaning of the word: twisted, contorted into a gorgeously strange shape which represents the inner workings of a person's mind. The many types of love, false and true, that one can experience, are sculpted into the story. What makes Nabokov's book great is how it reveals something that most of society would rather avert their gaze from. I believe the public aversion and disgust leads only to a repetition of this tragedy in real life. A refusal to understand and tackle this issue allowing the ugly thing to match the steadfast march of history unfettered. TLDR; Beautiful writing, horrible and disturbing topic and events, and a profound insight into a terrible real-life issue.

This is perhaps my favorite novel! Despite the deeply disturbing and uncomfortable subject matter, the book is written so absolutely beautifully I continue re-reading it. It is the way that it is written that makes this book so fascinating - not just the lovely prose, but how they affect the reader's perception of what is happening. Additionally, Jeremy Irons does a fantastic job reading!