I read the book after watching Kubrick’s film.
I really enjoyed the movie, and I wasn’t really that disturbed by Humbert’s attraction
for a 16-year old(ish) Lolita, but hell, in the book she’s twelve!
Many consider this an erotic novel, but it’s
actually so much more than that and it upsets me to see it considered as such
(supposed masterpieces of world literature like Lady Chatterley’s Lover, on the other hand, can be considered just
erotic novels for me). The biggest quality of the book, I believe, is that
Humbert (unlike Quilty) is actually likeable. Sure, every reader has to condemn
his actions, but I am sure that most wanted him to sort out his issues and live
happily ever after with a girl aged 18 or more.
And this may be a silly point, but I think that
the fact that in the book Humbert is the only one addressing Dolores as “Lolita”
gives the entire novel a slightly different spin.
No comments:
Post a Comment