Lolita
Written by Vladimir Nabokov
Narrated by Jeremy Irons
4/5
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Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
Editor's Note
Lo-lee-ta…
Jeremy Irons's narration of Humbert Humbert’s obsession with that inaugural nymphet perfectly captures the gorgeous prose, ingenious wordplay, and emotional horror of Nabokov’s masterpiece.
Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Nabokov (San Petersburgo, 1899-Montreux, 1977), uno de los más extraordinarios escritores del siglo XX, nació en el seno de una acomodada familia aristocrática. En 1919, a consecuencia de la Revolución Rusa, abandonó su país para siempre. Tras estudiar en Cambridge, se instaló en Berlín, donde empezó a publicar sus novelas en ruso con el seudónimo de V. Sirin. En 1937 se trasladó a París, y en 1940 a los Estados Unidos, donde fue profesor de literatura en varias universidades. En 1960, gracias al gran éxito comercial de Lolita, pudo abandonar la docencia, y poco después se trasladó a Montreux, donde residió, junto con su esposa Véra, hasta su muerte. En Anagrama se le ha dedicado una «Biblioteca Nabokov» que recoge una amplísima muestra de su talento narrativo. En «Compactos» se han publicado los siguientes títulos: Mashenka, Rey, Dama, Valet, La defensa, El ojo, Risa en la oscuridad, Desesperación, El hechicero, La verdadera vida de Sebastian Knight, Lolita, Pnin, Pálido fuego, Habla, memoria, Ada o el ardor, Invitado a una decapitación y Barra siniestra; La dádiva, Cosas transparentes, Una belleza rusa, El original de Laura y Gloria pueden encontrarse en «Panorama de narrativas», mientras que sus Cuentos completos están incluidos en la colección «Compendium». Opiniones contundentes, por su parte, ha aparecido en «Argumentos».
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Reviews for Lolita
8,370 ratings274 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Amazing writing, but the disgusting pedophilia made me want to throw the book, and throw up.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Astonishing. One of the greatest accomplishments in all of literature.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Imprisoned and awaiting trial for murder, Humbert Humbert pens in his cell a final manuscript, Lolita, or the Confession of a White Widowed Male. In it he describes his life, his dark and intense passion for a twelve-year-old girl, and what has brought him to where he is now. Told as a memoir of sorts and intended as testimony, he reveals his terrible flaws and reveals his terrible love of and for Lolita. The writing is marvelous, if at times confusing (which is most likely intentional and keeping with the plot). Although I hate to admit it, Humbert Humbert makes a surprisingly sympathetic character, at least in the beginning. As the book progresses, and as does his obsession, he provokes less understanding and more apprehension. The reader is brought along on the terrible journey as he ruins both his and her lives, driving her away and leaving behind his own sanity. This was a difficult book for me to read because it touched upon my personal life in a variety of ways, but it was ultimately worth it. In fact, I plan to read it again at some point. Throughout the novel, Nabokov has sprinkled literary allusions (many of which I probably missed) and phrases in French (which I couldn't read, but mostly got the gist). I've purchased The Annotated Lolita for my next reading (whenever that may be) as it translates the French phrases in addition to other annotations which I am sure I will find helpful. Despite the humor that is interspersed throughout the novel, it is ultimately a rather depressing story. Experiments in Reading
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I was younger, see, there was this guy, named sean garrison, he was from he Ozarks, he was in Louisville and he was a just man, without a doubt. He once said he would fight anyone over the merit of Hank Williams or Robert Johnson. I feel the same about Lolita.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Really this was a terrible book about a terrible subject told by a terrible man using really pretty language.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Disturbing and haunting yet amazing in style. Nabokov is a good writer, even if what he writes about is taboo and, to be honest, repugnant.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lolita I loved it. I had always assumed that I would hate it, knowing that it was about an older man taking advantage of a very young girl. What I hadn't realized was that it is a book knowingly written from the villain's point of view. I had thought it would be all excuses and romanticism. That stuff is there, sure, but thinly veiled so that the read may hear HH's excuses to himself and still see right through them. Unfortunately, I do also recognize how parts could easily be represented as Lolita's complicity in her situation, but these would fail to take into consideration either her initial naivete (which many girls that young have had about older men), her recognition of a situation that is quite hopeless, or the significant possibility of Stockholm's syndrome. Of course, there is also the fact that HH is writing in the first person and everything about her is therefore subject to his interpretation. The challenge of the book, and part of its genius perhaps, is seeing Lolita herself outside of his interpretation. It makes me want to see the movie and how the actress interprets Lolita's actions. I've read other books by men that are associated more with the way women are perceived by them then women actually are (Great Expectations and The Great Gatsby for starters) that should do the same thing but I had unfortunately not gone into those prepared for their intentional misrepresentation of my gender and hated them on the first read. (I do owe both a reread since I was told the opinion on it that the women were intentionally written the way they were to point out some men's lack of realization that we are in fact fully three dimensional beings) I do hate the definition and use of the word "nymphet" in practical use but I get why the author included it. I thought it really helped deliver the delusional nature of Humbert's vision of Lolita and the way he romanticized and lusted after girls that were far too young. I did, however, appreciate the inclusion of Humbert's background and some notable things within it. Specifically, those things are the lapses in mental health, his attempts at staying within decency, and his prior love, Annabel. I don't know enough about psychology to have an informed opinion on whether her death really contributed to his affinity for young girls but it made an interesting hypothesis on the part of the afflicted. It was interesting, and super creepy, to see the way his ability to control Lolita's life played into both his hunger for her and many of her responses to him. The progression of their "relationship" was again mostly creepy but interesting in that way we only can be in fiction when it's not real people that are being hurt. His power over her made him increasingly tyrannical as power has been historically shown to do. The whole story climaxes in such a way that is so consistent with the character's personalities and strangely satisfying in it's own way. I'd rather not spoil it, though anyone could easily look up the whole synopsis on Wikipedia if interested, it's linked about anyway. I listened to a copy from the library that was read by Jeremy Irons who also played the protagonist in the 1997 film. I had finally picked it up to listen to as my hold on Reading Lolita in Tehran finally came through, which is also proving to be a great book and gave me some necessary insight into Nabokov's writing style and Humbert's character.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An intensely absorbing thriller, a meditation on causation and blame, an absurdity from an unreliable narrator, a series of witty moments, a snapshot of an alienated time, an expression of profound love and twisted wrongdoing. There is just so much here, light and shadow being cast from each facet.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is superbly written. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful Nabokov's writing is. This story is haunting and disturbing, to say the least. I was a little confused by the ending, but still, I loved this book and will probably visit it again (perhaps the ending will make more sense this time around).
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Among the 10 greatest novels of all time, not least for the magnificent Master, Nabokov, using the written word like a duellist worthy of Zorro.
Linge, parry, thrust - touche! - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Reminded me of a Jim Thompson first-person pulp. Great prose.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lolita is well deserving of it's reputation. From the first word I was hooked, pulled in to Humberts world. The prose is beautiful, lyrical, it's amazing his he transforms the most boring of scenes and itineries to wonderful prose. This book was a pure joy to read and could be recomended soley on the basis of it's language use. The language itself is a auto-biography of Humbert Humbert, an educated man and a paedophile. Humbert describes the children he's interested in as nymphets, small children in who he sees a certain hint of sexuality. The particular fixation of Humberts passion is Lolita, a girl of 12 who catches his attention and enflames him as no other has before. Humbert seeks to own Lolita, stealing her away and creating a world where she had no escape from him, holding her and controlling her, raping her and abusing her. Confessing his love in one breath and describing how he rapes her in another. Humbert is repentant at time, but at others defiant of his actions, as though they were perfectly justifiable and only natural. Lolita herself is compelling, he views her as a child and an object, seeking to control her as she slips through his fingers, seeking an escape for herself. I imagine this will be a book that will stay with me for some time.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I picked up Lolita because of its fame and subject matter; you read books like this because you want to see the train crash, want to see the topic of pedophilia roll to its ultimate messy conclusion. Yet this is more than just a book about a man who loves little girls. It is a love letter told by Humbert Humbert to his darling nymphet Lolita. It is also the story of how he destroys her, and in the process, destroys himself.The language in Lolita is not to be missed. It dances across the page and glitters in the corner of your eye. Humbert Humbert has such a distinctive voice that you really can't hate him. Pity him and be disgusted by him, yes, but I would be hard pressed to say that he is the villain. Lolita herself is a fascinating portrayal of childhood. I found her convincing in both her innocence and her vulgarity. But the impression I got the most out of Lolita echoes the very last line: that is, immortality. Humbert Humbert loves Lolita because she is a child, and he immortalizes her for it. The entire book is the immortalization and the trials of immortalization of an obsessive love. I did lose some interest in the middle part with all the road trips, hence the 4 star rating rather than 4.5 or 5, but the beginning was fantastic and the end was fantastic too. I wholly recommend this book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A wonderful and intriguing piece especially for lovers of literature, and Jeremy Irons is a hero to the audiobook narrating community.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5They call it an all time classic for a reason. The audio version is one of the best I have ever heard. Jeremy Irons does an amazing job! Very definition of sublime.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5No need to comment the novel, it's a masterpiece. but the performance deserves the highest praise. The magnificent voice and interpretation give us the most perfect HH, witty, pained, intense.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Love this as I was someone's Lolita in my youth.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Horrifyingly beautiful. A prose I feel I would only find in an unrealistically elaborate dream world. Listening to H.H. tell his own undignified story right into my ears was surprisingly stunning. I am shocked. It is a novel that tastes like poetry.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing narration. The work was a joy to listen to and lived up to my expectations of the novel.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Incredibly literary. Incredible prose – heart-wrenching loss and illusion executed with genius skill.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A classic, beautiful written! A truly great book with a great audio.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Whoa, F@#$_&+ disgusting. This book should serve as a red flag for pedo's.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I have lived and suffered this book. It is without a doubt a masterpiece and I'm not ashamed to say it! As scandalous as the plot might be, it was impossible for me to hate Humbert.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I really didn't get what all they hype was about.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Simply one of the greatest books of the 20th century!
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5A difficult book to read. The beauty of Nabokov's mastery of language is a distinct counterpoint to the dark subject matter. One finds oneself caught between disgust at the pedophiliac protagonist, and sorrow for him as he is unwilling to seek change for the condition he attributes to a childhood event. He alternates between an acceptance of damnation for himself, to shamelessly indulging his fantasies, to lamenting and recognizing the shame in his actions in the end. The descriptions can leave one nauseated at times, and I won't even discuss the obvious imagery of the the weapon that isn't used until the end, and then not effectively. The articulate European encounter with post-war America is poignant, but an undercurrent to the primary plot.
If you are looking for an example of the writer's craft, I would advise you to consider this book. Otherwise, it would be difficult to recommend. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Having seen the film years and years (and years and years) ago, I was never all that inclined to read the novel. Eventually, after many mentions of the novel's literary references and of Humbert Humbert as the quintessential unreliable narrator, and thanks in no small part to the entertaining analysis by Sparky Sweets, PhD, I decided to give it a go.
The book is nothing like the movie. The book is not the paedophile smut that its detractors (many of whom never made it past the first hundred pages) claim. This novel is good -- perhaps even required -- reading, and if you're worried about getting strung up by the National Legion of Decency, then read it unobtrusively on a Kindle (next up: Lady Chatterly's Lover).
Many a better reviewer than I have written countless words on this novel, so I'll keep it brief. This is a novel about the dark side of the male lover: jealous, controlling, mindlessly pursuing his own pleasure at the expense of his partner. The age of Lolita makes her all the more subject to being controlled by Humbert, much as the inveterate drunkenness of older Rita likewise leaves her dependent on him. We have here, in Humbert, a tyrant and a misanthrope, a man who enjoys belittling and abusing others, and who wields what little power he can acquire as zealously as the most small-minded bureaucrat. Other people and their feelings do not matter to Humbert; they exist only for his dark amusement, and when the world works against him he sobs like a newly-toyless child.
Humbert is, of course, erudite and charming -- another in a long line of literary psychopaths. In writing his memoirs, he turns his charm on the reader, a smooth tongue attesting to his good intentions and the natural simplicity of his desires. Yet his own depiction of the events betrays him, demonstrating a Bluebeardish lack of concern for others, and ultimately sabotaging the sympathy he is trying to inspire. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I love the use of language in this story but totally missed any humor or satire that it was supposed to have. Completely got the horror though. The “About the Story” at the end of my copy says it best, “at once exquisite and grotesque.”
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I got to the end and found myself...underwhelmed. Lolita feels like a Novel for English Majors, but the language games and descripty bits were lost on this English Major. Alas. While it was worth reading once, I don't see myself fighting to teach this in a survey of modern and contemporary literature.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Didn't get it until I saw the Kubrick film. The film is better. It's less gross and the absurdity is more palpable also it's less gross.