TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
I'd had my eye on a few modern classics but Lolita was the one I was most hesitant about picking up, for obvious reasons. As much as I wanted to read it, I was overwhelmed by the fear of being judged for buying such a problematic book. What if the people in Waterstones thought less of me? What if they thought I was too young to be reading it? What if they thought - god forbid - I'd enjoy it?
As usual though, none of this played out and I ended up having a nice chat with the lady on the till about the books I was buying - including Lolita. She basically said out loud what had be niggling in the back of my mind: 'it's one of those books you don't want to like but you can't help it because it's written so well'.
Just because I may enjoy the book itself when I get around to reading it does not mean that I condone the actions of the characters, or that I have to be comfortable reading about it. Yes, I am interested in picking this up, but only so that I can form my own opinion about it. It may be controversial, but it may also be good.
Have you read Lolita?
I've always been a bit 50/50 about whether I'd want to read Lolita, so I understand where you're coming from!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's one of those books that I don't really want to read, but at the same time I do just so I know what all the fuss is about. But I don't necessarily want people to know I'm reading it, in case they think I like it.
DeleteI think enough people have read it that only the terminally stupid and/or misinformed will judge you. It's held to be a (modern) classic, after all.
DeleteMaybe try a few pages and then abandon if you can't stand it?
Very true. But that being said, people will judge others for reading (or not reading) classics and for so many other things related to reading. I am definitely going to give this a try though.
DeleteI had never heard of this book until I found it here! I went and read the synopsis, and I want to read it now. I think I might have to pick it up.
ReplyDeleteGo for it! I've seen snippets of it and it does seem very well written, and the subject matter is very thought-provoking.
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