Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Lolita

by Vladimir Nabokov

Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita is one of the best-known novels of the 20th century: the controversial story of Humbert Humbert who falls in love with twelve year old Lolita, beautifully repackaged as part of the Penguin Essentials range.

'Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of my tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.'

Humbert Humbert is a middle-aged, frustrated college professor. In love with his landlady's twelve-year-old daughter Lolita, he'll do anything to possess her. Unable and unwilling to stop himself, he is prepared to commit any crime to get what he wants.

Is he in love or insane? A silver-tongued poet or a pervert? A tortured soul or a monster? Or is he all of these?

Reviewed by jamiereadthis on

5 of 5 stars

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Oscar Wilde said there is no such thing as a moral or immoral book; books are well written or badly written. If that's the case (and I'm thinking it just about is), well: Nabokov writes the hell out of this brilliant, complex, ecstatic little book.

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  • Started reading
  • 1 April, 2009: Finished reading
  • 1 April, 2009: Reviewed