LOLITA

by Vladimir Nabokov

Lolita is a perfect example of why we named this segment “Not My Cup of Tea” rather than “Really Bad Books We Hated.” Lolita is a beautifully written book that I thoroughly disliked. When a book's title character becomes an archetype referenced by everyone whether they've read the novel or not, one gets a sense of the book's content. And yet, to read a full length novel about a man’s pedophilic thoughts, desires and actions is hard to take. Although the narrator certainly accepts blame for his “abnormal” condition, he also regularly implies that the young girls he is attracted to, his “nymphettes,” tempt him through their seductive looks and actions. I always try to read a book without judging its narrator, but this was a tough one and ultimately left me feeling sorry for everyone he interacted with. I’m not sure how much of this discomfort Nabokov intended, nor is that made clear in his afterword. But either way, I do not recommend this book. (Lily)