This is a book I thought about for a while before reading. My main thing with this sort of book is the question is this a character study or does the author hold these opinions? I can do horrible and unlikeable but not if I feel that the author is secretly trying to get you on side.
There are some stories that have had a huge affect on our culture but often when we go back to the source we find it distorted, I really feel I need to see firsthand
Weaponxgirl This is also the sort of book that is hard to read through a modern lens, I work with children. My safeguarding training is high on this one. I'm also reading it through a feminist perspective and just bloody angry 7y
Weaponxgirl But a part of me can't help but admire someone putting a book out like this to show the darkness for the time period. Sure we as a society have said for a long time that this sort of behaviour is wrong but the truth is that for years if it happened in the home it was largely ignored along with domestic violence. I know people who suffered abuse in the 70s and it was not investigated because family secrets. As a society we still aren't perfect 7y
Sophoclessweetheart Great thoughts. I‘ve read a lot of essays by Nabokov and these ARE NOT HIS VIEWS. I can‘t stress that enough, he is very clear that these are not his views. But, this book is still really really hard to read if you‘re a mother, or working closely with children like you do. My perspectives have changed 1000% since becoming a mother. 7y
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Weaponxgirl @Sorceryandswords yes! This was the first thing I had to find out before I could read this book! One reason I wanted to do this as a read a long was because I knew I'd have lots of thoughts on this and would NEED to talk about it. 7y
Weaponxgirl @Sorceryandswords I also don't think this book could/should be written today. We have come too far but as I said above I sometimes think art should challenge us by looking at the darkness in society of the time. I imagine it's even harder to read as a parent 7y
Weaponxgirl #lolitalightofmyreadalong 7y
Sophoclessweetheart It‘s so so difficult. Especially as I have a daughter. I‘m finding it very hard to keep going. But I do agree that we should be challenged now and again with the darkness of society and made aware and cautious. I also agree that there is NO WAY that this could be written today. 7y
Weaponxgirl @Sorceryandswords I read the chapter last night about his first wife and it bought up so many alarm bells and memories for me. I've always looked young for my age and when I was in my early 20s some of the men that would hit on me used to make me feel sick even at the time as they were quite a lot older and obviously thought I was younger. But this shows how well written this is that I can still find it relevant today 7y
Sophoclessweetheart Definitely!! That part has always alarmed me too. It‘s terrible and it brings up thoughts about people you know who‘ve been that girl and makes you wonder! 7y
Insightsintobooks This book was based upon a true story of a girl that was kidnapped, if I remember correctly. It is not the author's view. 7y
Weaponxgirl @Sorceryandswords but the writing of the character is superb. We are more aware of signs of domestic violence now than when this was written and humbert talking about wanting to hurt the wife not because he cares she's leaving but because it's not "her" choice was absolutely chilling. Humbert sees nothing wrong with this and I was red flagging so hard. How he never saw her as a person lets us know what sort of person we are hearing. 7y
Weaponxgirl @Insightsintobooks I've seen a book that's about the case but it's not out yet and I really want to read that soon too. 7y
Sophoclessweetheart I know what you mean. It‘s terrifying. HH seems to have a god complex and as you‘ll see, it‘s that that contributes to his inevitable downfall x 7y
Cathythoughts Recently got this .... TBR 👍🏻 7y
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