03: re-reading lolita by vladimir naboknov

lolita and my santa

This novel is a masterpiece. 

This biggest emotional takeaway during this re-read is that reading it partially alongside Crime and Punishment has been quite the experience. Both of these novels put me inside the head of sick men. I don’t often like to spend time in this space, but much like watching cult documentaries, I am fascinated.

What I love about Humbert Humbert is his insistence on his insanity. If readers spend time realizing how much Nabokov wants you to know that Humbert is insane and sick, the glorification of this story wouldn’t be as possible. 

Lolita demands something of me as a reader and the pact that I’ve made to trust Nabokov to bring this story to a conclusion that won’t make me aggressively mad, is sacrosanct. 

I don’t agree with Independent that, “There’s no funnier monster in literature than poor, doomed Humbert Humbert”.  I don’t feel sorry for him, but I do pity him deeply. He is a pathetic, miserable man and the amount of time I roll my eyes when listening to his thoughts is worthy of a Guinness award.

-The writing is stunning-

Unlike My Dark Vanessa, which was told from inside a female mind, Lolita keeps up inside every thought of Humbert Humbert as he tells his story to the jury. 

In chapter one, on page one… Nabokov lets you see… lets you know … he gets caught. THIS allows me as a reader to endure this story. 

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

I love it. This is an infinitely re-readable novel. It’s on my forever shelf.