Rating: 
Summary: A Knockout....
Review: This is one of the most enjoyable reads I have ever experienced. A wildly funny and moving book, it only works because Nabokov makes us sympathize with Humbert Humbert. He's a sad man, and his quest for purity, while misguided and at times ridiculous, can be touching. This book is shocking even now, and I caught myself at times laughing at things I felt embarrassed to be laughing at. The characters of Luscious Lo and Charlotte Haze are delightful, and Nabokov's digs at the vapidity of American popular culture---the kind of generalization that usually rankles me---doesn't overpower the enjoyment of the story, mostly because he balances his criticisms with just as pointed digs at the European culture that seems fascinated with anything American. This is a don't miss book.
Rating: 
Summary: The most infamous novel you've never read.
Review: Everyone has heard of this novel and everyone has something to say about it, but it seems to me that the people who shout loudest about it are those who are least likely to have even read it much less understood it. Nevertheless Lolita has achieved that rarest of feats by becoming even more controversial now than it was when it was first published in 1955.Written in an almost velvet style, from the first page the authors obvious love of the English language makes this work beg to be read just for the beauty of the prose never mind the story or the allegorical aspects. Although the influence of F. Scott Fitzgerald is clearly present in the text, Nabokov avoids the more flowery language of Fitzgerald, favouring a more sensual and tactile style, which I personally find much more satisfying to read. Wickedly funny in places Nabokov makes you laugh out loud and then in the same breath make you question yourself saying, "This is terrible! Should I really be laughing at this?" One critique of Lolita whose author escapes me, referred to it as "Nabakov's classic novel of paedophilia" this entirely misses the point of the story, the fact that Delores is 12 years old when she and Humbert meet for the first time, is in my opinion nothing more than a way to focus the gaze and eventual blame of the reader on to Humbert and his overriding obsession with his little nymphet rather than seeing Lolita as an agent in her own downfall. Nabokov is writing here about the power of love, it's ability to transcend circumstances and morality and the danger of obsession and it's destructive power, in this context age is truly irrelevant. Try to forget what you've heard people say about Lolita and approach this book with an open mind. You'll probably be glad that you did.
Rating:
Summary: A mesmerising masterpiece
Review: Let me say at the outset that I have never read a book like this ever before! The marvellous prose is magical: alliteration, puns, word-play, allusions, metaphor, simile, poetry, lyricism, humour, wit, sarcasm...this and much much more make Lolita a delight to read just for Nabokov's astonishing use of the English language with its veritable palimpset of verbal textures. He is THE master of language--bar none! In this respect the work becomes precisely that rare thing: a piece of literature which is also a work of Art.
To some extent then the plot of this masterpiece is not as important (in my view) as the style is so astonishing, so beautiful, so clever (so clever in fact that there exists an Annotated version to explain all of Nabokov's hints, references and allusions in his text) that the poetically inclined reader will enjoy its many hidden pleasures regardless; however the plot is also tightly controlled and the characterisation is also brilliantly done--especially of Humbert Humbert and Lolita although the secondary myriad of people who crop up in this tale are also well-defined--such that although the subject matter is paedophilia (hence the notoriety the book has achieved) --and incest --this does not prevent one from simultaneously understanding and feeling pity as well as poignancy and revulsion for the male protagonist whereas in a less well written work dealing with this taboo subject it would be very easy to decline into stereotypes and portray the paedophile as a unidimensional evil villain. Likewise the nymphet is portrayed with a variety of personae-reflecting real people rather than just a stereotype!--and not just that of a helpless victim or a seductress. This is a remarkable achievement and, for once, --from all the novels I have read which are considered 'classics'--this one really deserves the accolade. It is without doubt the most engaging, brilliantly clever and disturbingly brilliant work of fiction I have yet had the pleasure to read. A must-read. A work of rare genius.
Rating:
Summary: A classic for a reason
Review: Lolita is BEAUTIFULLY written. After reading the first paragraph, I put the book down and said to myself, That was the most amazing first paragraph I've ever read. Humbert Humbert is really an interesting character and I love having a protagonist whom you can't decide on. All throughout the book I was trying to figure out whether or not I liked him. I found myself routing for him a great deal of the time, though I knew that he was very much in the wrong. I was rather disgusted with myself at times for being on his side. This made me sympathize with Humbert to an extent I rarely do with characters. He really is an amazing character and Nabokov an amazing writer. My god is he an amazing writer. This book has well drawn characters, an interesting plot and a truly spellbinding narrative. The only people I wouldnt reccomend this book to are those who don't enjoy discomfort while they read. Lolita does many things, but it does not put you at ease
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece, plain and simple
Review: It is hard for some people to accept this book for what it is. Hard for people to accept the fact that this is more than a story about a young girl and an older man, but this is a love story, and a very strong one at that.
Although many of us may not follow in Humbert Humbert's footsteps, we can all relate to him, we can all relate to what he is feeling for the young Dolores Haze or also known as Lolita. That feeling is Love. I know I have experienced it, that love that will not leave your heart, that you will always have for you, your first love. Another questions is that of whether Humbert is a pedophile or not. This is hard to put your finger on. In the novel he calls himself a monster and a pervert several times, but at the same time, you have to understand that between lust and love. Humbert is in love, which makes things hard for you to put your finger on.
As for Doloras Haze, or Lolita, I find that throughout the story she is much mor infatuated, and all though she claims several times that she has been raped by Humbert, I think she is just as much at fault as Humbert in this crazy love story.
Lolita is a literary Masterpiece. Plain and simple. A piece of literature that plunges us deep inside the head of a man that is in mad love. The author uses Humberts madness to his advantage by going into deep detail about all things around this character.
There is one full chapter dedicated to the style of Lolita's tennis playing. The detail is incredible and precise. This is beautifully written. I loved it.
It took a long time for this masterpiece to be published in the states, and today is still looked at as trash by many. But these people dont look at the statement that this work makes, and how powerful it really is.
This book is for anyone that loves good literature, but also a good book to look into the lives of two very different people that have come together for good or for worse. This book will not dissappoint.
Rating:
Summary: Lolita
Review: How could any writer write a novel about a subject as disgusting as paedafellia and have his work critically acclaimed as one of the ten finest masterpiece's of 20th cetury literature? Nabakov initially had a difficult time finding a publisher; but over the course of time the literay public has mellowed and come to accept Lolita as what it is a marvelously written comedy. The dallyings of Humbert Humbert and his beloved Dolores Haze is the subject of two movies, both of which miss the mark on replacating the humor that Nabakov so adeptly provided in his written version. To make this out, as some crits have, to be a love story, misses the mark. Humbert is a lecherous and insane middle aged man with a fettish for young nymphets like his 'Lolita'. His passion for Lolita is a sickness and should in no way be remotely compared to love. Lolita is a comedy pure and simple. Read into it any more than that and you are missing the point. All the same if after reading Lolita and you are a little disgusted with yourself for enjoying it, thats OK.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Amazing
Review: I picked this book up for a couple of reasons. One, my girlfriend had a copy and suggested it. Two, I just switched to an English major, so I figured I should read as many "classics" as possible. I didn't expect anything spectacular from this book, just another one of those dusty old "classics" that I would one day have to read and that would be impossible to wade through the formal language. I couldn't have been more wrong. Nabokov is hands down one of the most amazing authors I've ever read, and I've only read Lolita and a short story of his. Not only is English somewhere along the lines of his fourth language, but he uses it more masterfully than most of it's native speakers. Nabokov throws in puns and metaphors one after another, and uses alliteration and assonance as a poet would. One of the amazing things about this book is that he is able to perfectly describe a predominantly erotic and sexual relationship without, as he points out in the forward, using any four-letter words. Many have said that, for a foreigner, Nabokov was able to capture American life on the road better than anyone. While I don't have any experience with life on the road in the fifties, I don't doubt that he does. If the first paragraph, in which he exclusively uses sounds and syllables from the word "Lolita", doesn't delight and hook you immediately, then this whole "reading" thing may not be for you. Although it is a dark book about a 40+-year-old man and his affair with a 12-year-old girl, the language is delightful and lighthearted. Nabokov is probably the only person that could make me want to be best friends with a pedophile. And I can't wait to read more of his work.
Rating:
Summary: Grab your dictionary
Review: Grab your dictionary Nabokov's Lolita tells a beautiful story and does it beautifully. I wasn't very impressed by the 1998 movie with Jeremy Irons but I just loved the book. It's a controversial subject indeed, pedophilia, but the book is by no means vulgar. The book is the memoir of Humbert Humbert, a true gentleman, from the Old Continent who never got over his first pre-adolescent affair, at least till he meets his auburn nymphet, Dolores Haze. What follows is a work of art using the English language as the medium. What is truly amazing is that Nabokov, a Russian immigrant, would rather write Lolita in Russian, his first language. Nabokov gave my old dictionary quite a workout. Interesting as well is how much autobiographical information there is in the book. I can only imagine how much personal attack must Nabokov have suffered soon after releasing Lolita. Humbert as well as Nabokov is an European immigrant to the United States, both are writers, both play tennis, both traveled the country, both cherish the newly learned language. I have the hardbound version by Everyman's Library, which is a high quality edition with some extras such as Nabokov's biography and interview. It's a great book, one the best I have read. Leonardo Alves - Houghton Michigan - February 2003
Rating:
Summary: A Guilty Pleasure
Review: I absolutely adore this book. It is a genius of the english language. Bravo! I am appaled by all the people who misunderstood this book. I believe that the author was writing about tragedy all right, the tragedy of young girls who seduce and therefore ruin men's lives. Lolita was the persuer here people. The proof? Lolita went on to have immoral, premarital affairs after she is finished with her stepfather. How could she have been a victim when she went along with it? All she had to do was say no. Girls are supposed to be pure. This book is a guilty pleasure I will admit. Especially because my wife is getting older.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring and trite
Review: I have only read the first 60 pages of this so called masterpiece and I'm already falling asleep. Nabokov's wordplay clutters up this novel and there is hardly any dialogue. The strength of a good novel lies in a balance between narrative and dialogue. Lolita so far has been 95% narrative. Nabokov accused Dostoyevsky of being unable to write narrative. I guess Nabokov can be accused of the opposite sin. I also think the subject matter of this novel is perverse. I'm no prude, but I really can't enjoy a story about a deranged man who is only aroused by pre-pubescent girls. As for Nabokov's writing style, I find it rather tiresome. The wordplay is just that, wordplay. It seems like Nabokov wanted to impress his new countrymen by piling 5 dollar word upon 5 dollar word. If you want to read a great writer whose English was his second language read Joseph Conrad. He is the best writer of English language novels who learned English later in life. By the way, Nabokov considered Conrad a poor writer. I believe Vladimir was jealous of Conrad's superiority. Nabokov also attacked Faulkner and Dostoyevsky. These two were also superior to the pompous VN.
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