Lolita, or as I like to call it, child porn!

I was so excited to start this book because of it's racy nature, but alas I wasn't horribly impressed. The fact that this book was published in 1955 and not completely banned in the U.S. is beyond me. Apparently it sold rather well here in the states, which goes to show you that people loved the sexually provocative even during the conservative craze of the fifties.

The novel is about a man named Humbert Humbert, age 37, who is obsessed with "nymphets". A nymphet is basically, a girl on the verge of womanhood...kind of right before puberty (age 10-13ish). The book is sort of like his diary and he goes into painstaking detail in describing everything that he loves about these pre-pubescent girls. He moves to some new town and rents a room from a woman named Charlotte who has a 12 year old daughter named Dolores (aka Lolita). As I'm sure you can guess, he becomes infatuated with Lolita to the point of marrying her mother in order to stick around. While Lolita is away at summer camp, Charlotte comes across Humbert's diary and realizes his intentions. She freaks out and ends up getting run over by a car and dies. Wow, lucky break Humbert.

Humbert gets custody over Lolita and goes over and over in his head how he will sleep with her. In the end, she seduces him (shocker) and he realizes that she's done the deed before. He apparently is ok with this and the two travel the country and eventually settle down in another random town. Humbert keeps Lolita under strict care and if she ever wants something, he only gives it to her in exchange for sexual favors (gross). Lolita becomes involved in the school play which is written by a man that knew her from when she was living with her mother. Right before opening night Humbert and Lolita get into a fight and decide to pack up and travel again. Lolita becomes ill and has to stay in a hospital. Humbert goes to get her and finds out that she was checked out by a supposed "uncle". Humbert desperately tries to find Lolita but he never does find her.

Fast forward a few years and we see that Lolita is down on her luck. She writes to Humbert and we find out that she is married, pregnant, and in need of money. He goes to visit her and gives her money in exchange for the name of the man that took her. Clare, the man from Lolita's childhood and the writer of her school play took her and tried to get her to star in a porno. Lolita refuses to leave with Humbert and he goes postal and kills Clare. At the end of the book he is arrested and wishes Lolita well.

Wow, drama. I should state that the novel is extremely easy to read and is interesting. I guess I was expecting a better ending...it kind of just lied there...flat. The book was humorous in Humbert's narrative...but I just found it it be a little lacking. It's hard to describe. Overall, I give the book 3/5 stars for being mostly entertaining and an easy read.