I recently read Lolita and was really conflicted as to whether I liked it or not. In one sense it was an uncomfortable read but I found I couldn’t put it down. I see a lot of people saying that they hate it because Humbert is such a monster but surely that’s the point? Nabokov makes it such an uncomfortable read through putting it in first person; we are meant to slightly sympathise with Humbert (because of his unreliable narration) and then feel disgusted with ourselves. Combined with the ‘American Dream’/Academia/Psychological Thriller aesthetic it’s almost as much a mockery of society and its romanticisation of crime as The Secret History. This is even proven by Lolita’s resurgence in popular aesthetics and romanticisation.
The book is well written and entertaining. The narration is very vivid and evocative. However, it covers topics such as pedophilia and rape which may be triggering and offensive to some. Humbert’s love for Lolita is a mix of romanticism and fatherhood. The book somehow makes me believe that Nabokov is trying to portray the irony that people gaslight mere obsession with love. The book is more of a tragedy than love story, a misunderstood masterpiece.