I think the bigger magic trick is when the reader finds themselves identifying with Humbert, laughing at his jokes or sympathizing, because it’s so jarring to see and *feel *the humanity in such a monstrous person. And this is the reason I think so many people viscerally dislike the book. They don’t want to relate to him, they hate that common thread of humanity and seeing how fine a line separates us.
I think the bigger magic trick is when the reader finds themselves identifying with Humbert, laughing at his jokes or sympathizing, because it’s so jarring to see and *feel *the humanity in such a monstrous person. And this is the reason I think so many people viscerally dislike the book. They don’t want to relate to him, they hate that common thread of humanity and seeing how fine a line separates us.