“Lolita. Light of my life. Fire of my loins.”
And so Vladimir Nabokov’s highly controversial “Lolita” begins. With devastating impact, the book narrates the life of Humbert Humbert, a scholar with a pedophilic interest in “nymphets,” young girls with exceptionally attractive and childlike elegance.
We read of how he tries desperately to reconcile his perversions with the norm of society. Ultimately failing in this goal, he promises to relegate himself to a life of sexual repression, allowing himself only to watch “nymphets” in local parks and other recreational areas for children.
But he cannot succeed. Humbert Humbert, upon visiting a local residence for lodging, meets Dolores, a child Humbert is immediately attracted to. He immediately takes up residence and, for her uncanny resemblance to a childhood love, “Annabel,” finds himself in love. Calling Dolores “Lolita,” he tortures himself with his sexual desires – he marries Dolores’ mother in order to stay close to Lolita.
All quickly falls into chaos, however. Dolores’ mother discovers Humbert’s passion for her daughter. Desperate and agonized, she leaves Humbert – only to be run over in a freak car accident, a move that gives Humbert full guardianship over Dolores.
In an enchanting, seductive and utterly enthralling narrative, author Nabokov takes us into the mind and perspective of a pedophile. Strange as his world is, we find that we are able to ultimately understand his character – much as we cannot forgive him for his flaws. We find a person who is startlingly human – aware of his faults and yet unable to truly help himself in the face of his desires and his fears.
What does being “human” truly mean? What is “grief?” What is a “child?” The novel explores these ideas with shocking bluntness – and for this, we can learn to sympathize with Lolita and, on the other side, understand Humbert – we find that we hate him, and yet are just as drawn to his prose.
No doubt, the novel’s dark overtones can be stifling. No doubt, its strange colors will repulse a number of readers – Humbert’s erotic thoughts are sure to act as a deterrent.
Yet, the book draws you in. Written in powerful prose, it leads you to wonder – what exactly does it mean for someone to be so depraved? What does depravity and perversion mean? And what are the consequences of these for people who defy the standard norm?
Hi Keren!
Maybe you’d like to hint at what happens after Dolores’ mother dies?
Not give away the entire story, but it sort of seems like the novel ends with just that (even though it doesn’t).
Good job, though!
Good review!
This is just me, but i think that a book review would be more effective if it gave a brief “teaser” of the plot, then talked more about YOU and YOUR thoughts. Your article feels more like a book report than a review, get my drift?
Other than that, fantastic work. You are a strong writer.
Great! 🙂
Your book review seems not just a summary but also an analysis!
However, don’t give away the plot. You want to give just a sense of what the book is about, not summarize the entire book. but I liked the analysis 🙂