Rating: 
Summary: Too much TRANSLATION, not enough ANNOTATION
Review: My beef with this book is that too many of the "notes" consisted of translations of the little french phrases nabokov's narrater (monsieur Humbert Humbert) uses. Although I have not gone back and counted, I came away with the impression that AT LEAST HALF of the annotations consisted of simple translations of simple french phrases, which you could find in any french-english dictionary. There are, mercifully, a few good points in the annotation that enhanced my understanding of LOLITA somewhat. The butterfly-references, in particular, are nicely correlated. "Metterling-Schmetterling" grumbles Quilty as he is about to be shot to death--that's really brilliant. I wish there were more of this sort of thing in the notes.
Rating: 
Summary: Playing with words
Review: In order to appreciate "Lolita", it may be helpful to consider the image that was the novel's genesis: "...the initial shiver of inspiration was somehow prompted by a newspaper story about an ape in the Jardin des Plantes, who, after months of coaxing by a scientist, produced the first drawing ever charcoaled by an animal: this sketch showed the bars of the poor creature's cage" (p.311). One key to this subtle and complex image is that when the zoo's cage is brought to the scientist's attention we sense that its presence came as something of a surprise --- that he had "decided to ignore what [he] could not help perceiving" (p.283). At the same time we sense that the presence of the cage so permeated the ape's experience as to be the most notable aspect of it --- though the ape could only express itself crudely. The epiphany that we feel the scientist must have experienced mirrors Humbert's awakening at the end of the book, when he perceives the obvious and grotesque reality of his relationship to Lolita while perched on a hillside listening to the distant voices of children at play in the town below. In "The Annotated Lolita", Alfred Appel, Jr. sees Humbert as the caged ape, and his situation does mirror the ape's in a superficial way --- he is ultimately caged, or imprisoned, after all. But the sense of the above image would have Lolita in the ape's role and Humbert cast as the solipsistic and purblind scientist. Here are just four clues: "Lo a young captive" (p.157); Humbert "bought a bunch of bananas for [his] monkey [Lolita]" (p.213) and monkeys are in the zoo (p.158); Humbert must "lock [his] Lolita up somewhere" (p.176); and the "starlet"/starling connection (p.255, see L. Sterne's "A Sentimental Journey"; Lolita is the starling and also the cornered "I" snarlin' in the other parenthetical portion of the "Wanted, wanted" poem). I mention all this only because Appel's interpretation significantly influences one's perception of the story, and you should keep your mind open to other possibilities. On another note, a brilliant stylistic device that Appel doesn't mention is Nabokov's pointilistic approach to narrative. Rather than using long, continuous narrative stokes, Nabokov builds up his characters, settings, and the senses of scenes with mosaics of concrete and evocative images. Consider the initial tour of the Haze household, as described by Humbert, replete with its "door chimes", "a white-eyed wooden thingamabob", "bedraggled magazines on every chair", van Gogh's "Arlesienne", Prinet's "Kreutzer Sonata", etc. These items not only set the scene, but they also help characterize Charlotte and Lo (because their decor says a lot about them), as well as Humbert (by his humorous but disdainful reaction to these household decorations). If words are the atoms of literature, compact images are Nabokov's molecules. "Lolita" --- with its complex structural patterning, carefully withheld images, rich literary allusions, etc. --- is a favorite of mine. Appel provides a great Introduction; and, despite some unnecessary and intrusive notes, some rambling notational digressions, and an interpretive blunder or two (at least in my opinion), I recommend the annotated edition to get you started. Appel leaves many stones unturned, so there is still plenty of fun left for good readers. My suggestion would be to copy the "Wanted, wanted" poem in Ch.25 of Part 2; then, as you read, look for clues to explain every line. Here are two of the more obvious ones: the "juke-box" on the first line of the fifth stanza is a metaphorical reference to Humbert's penis (see p.134), which hurt Lolita (p.141); and the next line refers to Lolita's dancing for Humbert's erotic benefit in exchange for "some treat or gift" (p.230). The rest I leave to you. Have fun. NOTE: all page references pertain to the annotated edition.
Rating:
Summary: The 20th Century's Preeminent S &M "Love" Story
Review: LOLITA is one of the greatest novels written in the English language...that much is indisputable, except by pc-evangelists who are quick to brand characters "heroes" and "villains." The relationship that develops between Humbert and Lolita is an odd one, nevermind their age differences. Their relationship is one of an S/M variety, as each character's pleasure and empowerment depend upon the other's sexual frustration and vulnerability. And arguments can be tossed both ways, as to which character tortures and preys upon the other. But nevermind this barrage of psychoanalysis: read LOLITA for yourself and decide. After all, LOLITA is about much more than sex: it deals with post-war sensibilities, relations between America and Europe, censorship, etc. It's one of the most beautiful, wickedly funny novels of the 20th century. Nabokov details so much about American culture at this time--more so than in many other novels I've come across. (Also, the annotations are a pleasure in themselves, especially if you're a literary buff who likes guessing the origins of character names and likes pondering the significance of particular cultural/literary allusions.)
Rating: 
Summary: A pain in the butt, but very insightful!
Review: Just imagine having read nearly 100 pages and you HAVEN'T even begun the book yet! Nevertheless, despite my very impatience, I managed to bulldoze my way through Appel Jr.'s notes on Vladimir Nabokov's brilliant masterpiece and as a result, I learned quite a little about the Russia-born genius as well as his other books and all the tricks he had up his sleeve with writing such a clever book like that. Satire and word-play are discussed here. Even the most unlikely references like a Bugs Bunny cartoon, a Dick Tracy comic strip, and Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland are mentioned. Now this is indeed intriguing, though it took me several days to digest this all down. By the way, the author who included the annotated notes was once the faithful student of the famed author himself back in the early 1950s, so he really launched himself into the great project of dissecting "Lolita" and comparing it to Nabokov's other books and some literary works of the old as well as including pages and pages of footnotes to explain each and every of what is happening throughout the whole book (I'm afraid this would mean constantly moving back and forward as you read!) Nevertheless, with all those uncanny indications and some shrewd observations, Appel. Jr. himself turns out to be just as sharp as his illustrative friend is.
Rating:
Summary: Glorious
Review: The only thing better than reading Nabokov's original masterwork (again, and again) is to hide away for a few weeks with A. Appel's annotated version. Simply majestic. It's like having your favorite dessert (cherry pie?) AND your favorite vintage champagne. Now if some brave scholar would only perform the same task for "Ada"...
Rating:
Summary: Unsurpassed Masterpiece
Review: This is one of the great literary masterpieces of all time. Nabokov's insight and language are stunning. I always urge people to buy the annotated version as well. The notes are not necessary, but nevertheless add a whole new dimension to the novel. The comments in the notes are fascinating. If I had to pick one novel as my favorite, Nabokov's Lolita would be it.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece of subtle literary meaning
Review: Nabokov has crafted here a work so brilliant it deserves to be put side by side with all the classics of western literary tradition. He towers above the rest with a literary style that can only be described as breathtaking. I will not bother to respond to the idea of Lolita as pornography or as a book of paedophilia. It is a topic not worthy of discussing. The literary allusions in Lolita are so rich and subtle that a reader can reread Lolita dozens of times and still find fresh material to marvel at. Perhaps one of the most directly readable of the Modernist authors, Vladimir Nabokov combines here a dazzling virtuoso performance of literary meaning. Though no master of languages or literature yet, I caught the few simple allusions to Poe, and am tracking down the rest slowly. Lolita is truly a book of multiple meanings, a book that transfigures and transforms, remakes and enlightens in a way subtle and profound. A glorious work of a maestro in his prime, Lolita ought to be required reading simply for the lush beauty of its prose.
Rating:
Summary: The Annotated Lolita
Review: I am not an accomplished reader however I took this book on as a challenge in a way that I've never challenged a book before. The annotated version certainly enriched the reading experience for me but also the unabridged audio version which Jeramy Irons narrated added a dimension to the writing that I, as a novice reader, wouldn't have otherwise experienced. This has to be the best book I've ever read,and heard!
Rating:
Summary: Caught up in the beauty of the prose
Review: Amazing how you can get caught up in the beautiful prose of Nabokov, and then suddenly realize the horror of what you're reading. H.H. is repulsive in his compulsion, yet the language lulls you into a sense of sympathy for him until a word or a phrase snaps you back into the realization of the plot. I've never been so drawn to a book before.
Rating:
Summary: My all time favorite book....
Review: I first read the un-annotated version in college in one of those mandatory to graduate classes. Needles to say, most (okay probably, all)of the allusions and word games went flying by me. However, the professor (who had the annotated version)opened my eyes to what I was missing. This is the only book I have ever read more than once. While most people get hung up on the "perverted theme", this book is a magnificent literary read- one of the few classics that hasn't bored me to death. There are word games, references to history and authors, subtle humor, a mystery that the reader can actually solve if he or she pays attention to the clues, and, ultimately, even a sad, tragic story. Without the annotated version who would have known? I've seen both movies, and while Jeremy Irons isn't bad, you have to read the book to get the full effect.
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