At it's core, this novel is about art--Humbert the artist with Lo as his muse. That Nabokov is able to glamorize through beautiful language Humbert's despicable deed and person is a profound statement about art and its role in society. But what exactly is Nabokov's point? Is Lolita proof that art as a formal aesthetic is more important than its content? Or is Lolita a satire on the public and academia--a sly joke proving that the most vile material will be praised if veiled in the mantel of artistry?

I have the annotated version you're reading, and I sure wish they'd put "Spoiler Alert" at the top of the Notes section -- the notes gave away the ending before I had finished the foreword!

Agree w/ you re: really enjoying the novel -- me too!

No favorite line in this section? Come on, Lolita is so filled with gorgeous prose, surely you can come up with something!

p.s. I am so glad you are reading this, and encouraging others to. On a purely aesthetic level, Lolita is one of the greatest books ever written in the English language, and so many people assume they know everything about it just because they know it's about kiddiesex.

Matt, I'm also kind of surprised that you haven't mentioned any of the (dark) comedy inherent in the book. Some of the more pointed humor comes later when HH is railing against all things Americana, but even at the point where you're out I was smiling wryly. It's interesting to me that if HH weren't, you know, a child molester he could pretty easily be a pompous, sad sack, comic figure. I loved watching him get so worked up about stuff to so little effect.

"Chiaroscuro" - I learned that word from the Trogdor episode of Strong Bad Emails.

I am listening to jeremy irons read "lolita" on cd and so am a little bit ahead of you. the one too-convenient element of the plot, i thought, approaches. irons does a wonderful job but one drawback of listening rather than reading is you can't stop and re-read and savor the writing. or look for clues. or try to keep everything straight. when you did "catch-22" last year and i started to re-read it, i was struck by all the shtick i hadn't noticed years ago. "lolita" holds up much better.

I used to like Lolita, before I became a parent. Now it makes me simultaneously want to throw up and kill someone. Ah, art!

I'm not sure exactly where you are (I read ahead... what, its good!), so I don't want to spoil, but I think that what happens next, that Chas thinks is "too convenient", is essential to the plot. The timing is a little cheesy, but the way the Humbert reacts to it is insane and really shows what's in his character.

This is my favorite novel/work of written language everrr. Glad I passed by before you've gotten too far, I've decided to re-read it along with you guys for the who knows what time. Joyce really only paved the way for Nabokov and it's nearly incomprehensible that this was third(!!!) language. Nabokov's wit and cynical humor rival the Joyce's as well. It's amazing how well Nabokov fuses the deepest tragedy and cleverest comedy together in such a elegant way. I get chills, I laugh and I verge on tears.

A note from the afterword of the book, no spoilers no worries, that I think should really be the preface:

"After Olympia Press, in Paris, published the book, an American critic suggested that Lolita was the record of my love affair with the romantic novel. The substitution "English language" for "romantic novel" would make this elegant formula more correct."

seen this Nabokov clip?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3fsSL4Bw9w

Ack!! Am I too late to sign up?? Must I listen to Jeremy Irons while I sleep??

Hep!! Hep!!

--askyermom, professional bookclub reject

I'm really ambivalent about this book. I started really not enjoying it, but it was decent enough (in terms of writing) that I didn't want to quit, but I wanted the experience over with, so I plowed through and finished the book.

There's a bit toward the end (which I won't comment on yet, for those who are still going), that pretty much turned why I was disliking the book on its head. All in all, it's like a very well written, completely unpleasant time.

@amy -- a little late, but one of my favorite sentences from this section has to be: "However, when I had done such a simple thing as kiss her, she had awakened at once, as fresh and strong as an octopus (I barely escaped)."

Might not do justice to the bounty of gorgeous prose, as you said, but it's too great to let slip by without comment.