Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2906 in Books
• Published on: 1998-04-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Synopsis
The story of Humbert Humbert, poet and pervert, and his obsession with 12-year-old Dolores Haze. Determined to possess his "Lolita" both carnally and artistically, Humbert embarks on a disastrous courtship that can only end in tragedy.

Customer Reviews

Masterpiece
I have read this book a number of times, and can quite happily pick it up and read a single page purely for the pure majesty of the language.

Martin Amis, son of Kingsley Amis and a stylist like Nabokov, has a true love of this book and desribed it, inter alia, as "pure sensual pleasure". A feat of genius, made more staggering by the fact that it was written in Nabokov's second language.

I challenge anyone with a love of the English language and a heart to read this book and ever forget it.

My favourite book of ALL time
This is by far my most favourite book in the world ever! Words cannot describe how much I adore this book. It is true the subject matter is uncomfortable to think about especially today. Considering that English is not Nabokov's first language he writes it so beautifully that almost every page has a line which really sounds lyrical, rythmic and just plainly beautiful.
The book pulls your moral thoughts all over the place. The question; who takes advantage of who? is one which I always come back to, and like to ask the people who read it.
I have read this book about four times which I almost never do and I recommend it to everyone I read. It is, I suppose, an example of how something can be beautiful and wrong at the same time. It is also ultimately a book about love. Unrequited love, forbidden love, consuming love, manipulative love. There are so many aspects to love explored in this book.

Superlative
Where to begin? One of the most moving novels in the English language - rich, lyrical, intelligent, and eloquent beyond belief. Not for fans of Raymond Carver.