Humbert Humbert was an intelligent and lonely man. Shortly before he died, he narrated his obsession with and seducing of 12 year old Dolores Haze (Lolita), whom he met when he rented her mother’s spare room.

The pair went off together, after the conveniently timely death of Mrs Haze, on a road trip. Humbert pretended to be her father, while behind the closed doors of motels, the reality of their relationship was one that society generally sees as unacceptable. Ending with their inevitable split, this book goes on to show how Humbert’s love of Lolita comes to shape the rest of his life.

This modern classic has never been shy to controversy; its reputation lies in the morality of what happens. Beautifully written though it is, it is told from Humbert’s perspective, offering insight into his understanding and interpretation of events, while, on the flipside, silencing Lolita. Why she complies with Humbert’s advances are left largely to the reader to decide for themselves, and therefore, decide their moral perspective on the subject matter. The scope for these arguments ranges from Humbert being totally manipulative and monstrous, to Lolita being a corrupt child that entices Humbert. I found Nabokov writes to entice you to feel some sympathy with him, yet clearly stating that he thought such relationships are wrong. The issue of underage sex or paedophilia is still just as relevant, or prevalent, today, although the protagonist tells the tale that the media today fails to.

This edition comes with notes and an excellent introduction by Alfred Affel which really adds to the text by fleshing out Nabokov’s ideas and putting them into context.

While being current and very interesting, this book takes the reader on a journey and forces them to ask questions about an uncomfortable topic, however much they enjoy it, while educating you and even making you laugh sometimes.

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