As the title says, I’ve been reading- or trying to read “Lolita.” It’s somewhat of a ‘classic’ book in my eyes, but I am disgusted by it. The whole idea of pedophilia is disgusting, and reading a book about a pedophiliac love story is just so off-putting. I don’t want to put the book down and ‘give up’ on it- but how do people read stuff like this? I am usually a very fast reader- but I can only manage about ten every time I pick up the book.
Has anyone else struggled to read this book? Am I not as strong as a reader as I thought? Any advice or comments are appreciated.
EDIT: So I see that it is not a love story from all of the comments. I am going to try to read it as not that way from now on. I heard on goodreads I believe that it is a love story. Thanks!
by TrixiBoo233
36 Comments
I adore the book. It’s beautifully written and an extremely well-crafted narrative.
It’s easy to read if you keep in mind that at the end of the day the book is fiction.
It’s *not* a “love story”. HH is an unreliable narrator. His delusions are laid bare by the end.
If it’s hitting you like that, put it down! It’s not that important of a book and you should take good care of yourself.
It’s not a pedophiliac live story. He’s an unreliable narrator. Nabokov’s intent for the novel was for Lolita to be read not as a love story but as the disturbing narrative of a predator’s manipulation.
I have never read it and I don’t intend to try. I think I would have your reaction, and I don’t see why I should put myself through that.
Even if it is considered a classic, and it IS on a bunch of lists of best books of all time, I don’t think you need to feel obligated to read something that uncomfortable for you.
I gave it up. I was enjoying the writing but the subject felt too real and started to bother me so I quit. I found this interesting as I read True Crime; gritty, dark fiction and mostly they interest or entertain me rather than bother me. I was aware Lolita is fiction, yet it was too disturbing for me to continue to read it, go figure. Good author.
It’s not a pedophiliac love story. It might seem that way at first because HH is an unreliable narrator and Dolores does have a childish “crush” on him at the beginning, and he uses that to justify his disgusting actions.
As Tony soprano once said, “I can’t have this conversation again.”
I’m baffled as to how many people misinterpret this novel – it is not, and never has been, a “love story.”
It’s supposed to disgust you, and it certainly isn’t a love story. It’s closer to a horror story.
For me, I was able to read it because I was interested in how Nabokov used the aesthetics of beautiful language to show the thoroughly delusional thought processes of an extremely disturbed narrator. But I would totally understand if for many readers that literary experiment wasn’t worth the disturbing emotions it intentionally evokes. That doesn’t make you a weak reader, just somebody who doesn’t want to deal with this type of content. So don’t feel bad if you want to put it down.
That’s sort of the point of the book. The reader is supposed to be disgusted by Humbert. Humbert thinks this is a love story, but the reader isn’t meant to agree with him.
Your first problem is thinking it’s a love story.
>reading a book about a pedophiliac love story is just so off-putting.
It is *not* a love story. What is happening is abuse and the novel makes that clear.
You have to think of the book as being in the head of a truly reprehensible person trying desperately to justify his actions. It is a story about his manipulation.
Focus less on what the narrator says and more on *how* he says it.
Look at how he frames events and people. The terms he choses to use. The ways he tries to trick you without relying on overt lies.
Lolita is a powerful book because it’s all about the power of words, and especially the power of words to twist things in on themselves. If you end up buying into HH bullshit for even a second… Well, welcome to how monsters can manage to be so successful. If not, congrats. You’re bullshit detector just got an upgrade.
As others have mentioned, you are reading a book with an unreliable narrator. You are supposed to consider who’s telling the story as much as the story itself.
You should apply this frame of mind to most first person novels as well, the decent ones at least. Even a truthful and honest first-person narrator will be unreliable to some degree, because they only have their perspective of events.
Lolita’s narrator is a piece of shit and he’s trying to fool you with his words.
[deleted]
First off, I had the same struggle. I made it through, but I attempted to re-read recently, and just couldn’t do it. So I know you’re feeling, totally.
Everyone here is spot-on. It’s not a love story. You’re supposed to be disgusted. It’s a sign in someways that he’s a great writer that you’re completely in HH’s head. It’s a vomit-inducing place, however.
HH is also trying to gaslight us, the readers, and I thinking it’s OK. Nabokov wants a narrator to gaslight us AND for us to see through the gaslighting. It’s a high-wire act and it’s just incredible.
There is even some indication that this was based on real life events, possibly Nabokov himself being molested, although I don’t feel like I know enough about that to say.
The problem is not with the job that he does, it’s that popular media has misunderstood it for so long, and so many adaptations have done it as a love story, but it’s sunk into our minds that that’s what it is . Nabokov did not even want a picture of a girl on the cover!
Keep in mind what the psychiatrist at the beginning of the novel tells you (paraphrasing): Do Not Trust This Man. He is out to manipulate you, and he’s very good at it.
That said, if you can’t stomach the disturbing nature of *Lolita*, then you really don’t have to read it. I cannot emphasize that enough. It’s a challenging piece of art, and it is NOT for everybody.
I read it at 12 and understood that it wasn’t a love story. I can’t fathom the lack of critical thinking skills of grown adulta who don’t see that.
I don’t get posts like this.
You know exactly what it’s about before you pick the bloody thing up.
Why on earth would you read Lolita if you you are going to make such a song and dance about it’s themes?
I personally found the book downright boring more than anything else, but that may just be me
Reading comprehension levels below sea level
Imagine if you had to know what you were talking about before posting. What a utopian world we’d live in
Look, I couldn’t get past a chapter or two of Lolita, due to the subject matter. And that’s ok! Not every book is for every body. If you’re having a miserable time reading it, just stop, go read something else you enjoy.
Stop. There is no reason to torment yourself this way. I have never read that book for the same reasons you’re having trouble. Be kind to yourself. Stop.
I’m with you. I had trouble reading it and had to put it down. I went into it knowing what to expect but the actual words really made me uncomfortable.
Sorry I read it cover to cover. It’s a great novel.
It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s not in any way shape or form pro pedophilia. You’re not meant to root for HH. He IS disgusting but the vast majority awful ppl don’t think they’re awful. He’s not going to be thinking “aw gee it’s wrong of me to feel that way, let me seek therapy”. He thinks he’s reasonable and misunderstood. Nabokov apparently captured that too brilliantly because people have been missing the point on this for 70 years now.
I have to add a second comment to say Nabokov manages to shows the reader how much Delores is suffering and how unhappy she is even through HH’s distorted lens. Really an amazing book that IS a deservedly a classic.
It’s not a love story.
You’ve heard from Goodreads that it’s a love story because Goodreads is filled with some of the absolute dumbest motherfuckers on planet Earth.
Very much a spoiler alert, read at your own peril. There’s a small detail at the beginning of the book, in the psychologist’s/psychiatrist’s notes, regarding Mrs. Schiller. >!And the note says she died in childbirth!<
I’m only mentioning it because I for one missed it when I read the book and it was pointed out to me. So if you’re curious, come back and read the spoiler when you’re finished. Or maybe you’re more insightful than I was and realize by yourself.
Btw, your initial reaction is correct and it’s absolutely what the author was going for.
Such a linguistic treasure.
I’ve been reading this book for over 8 years now. I get pulled in by the beautiful writing, but it just gets to be too much and I need a break. And that’s with knowing it’s not a love story!
I couldn’t finish it, the prose that so many love about it really drove me crazy.
It’s not a “love story.” It’s more like a surgical examination of the thought processes of a pedophile.
Read Pale Fire next
Here’s a clue from Nabokov on how to read the book: “As far as I can recall, the initial shiver of inspiration [for Lolita] was somehow prompted by a newspaper story about an ape in the Jardin des Plantes, who, after months of coaxing by a scientist, produced the first drawing ever charcoaled by an animal: this sketch showed the bars of the poor creature’s cage.”