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Aug 08, 2016ArapahoeJeremiah rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I’ll add my name to the list of people who feel awkward recommending this book, but who still recommend it anyway. Despite the disturbing and uneasy content matter, this book is truly exceptional and worth reading. Nabokov was extremely intelligent, had a genius for language and storytelling, and presents the story in a safe and clever way; (it’s not overtly explicit or lewd). It’s primarily the story of Humbert Humbert and his love for the (way too) young Lolita, what he does in order to obtain her, how the relationship collapses, and the consequences of it. In one sense it reads like a suspense novel. In another sense it’s a literary goldmine. The writing alone warrants classic status. From all I’ve read I’ve never seen anyone use the English language like he does. His abilities for word-play, word-creation, and verbal gymnastics are astonishing. And the narration strategy — having the story be told by Humbert — adds a whole other interpretive factor, making you have to think for yourself about what’s really happening and form your own interpretation. The book is read all over the world and is on several “best novels ever published” lists.