Lolita by Jan Bortel

Plot Humbert Humbert is in jail and is writing this story, about his life and his love and lust He came to USA and got married with Charlotte Haze, he had fallen in love with her daughter Dolores (Lo, Lolita) He was writing a diary about his passion for Dolores, one day Charlotte found out about it, and is angry, but she had an accident and dies Humbert kidnapped Dolores and she seduces him Some time later thing went wrong

Dolores became ill and Hubert gave her to the hospital She is kidnapped from the hospital by Quilty, who tried to gave her a role in a pornographic movie She refused and was thrown away At the age of 17 she contacted Humbert and asked him for money She was married for some unknown guy, Humbert asked her to leave him, she refused, but she told him the truth about Quilty Humbert killed Quilty, but than was arrested They both died

Information about the book novel by Vladimir Nabokov, first written in English and published in 1955 in Paris and 1958 in New York, and later translated by the author into Russian The narrator is unreliable, it is Humbert personally and whole book should be his defense in this cause The topic of sexual obsession was target for critics and book was called as immoral „lolita“ is now commonly used term for a young sexually active girl Two film adaptations – one from Stanley Kubrick (1962), second from Adrian Lyne (1997)

Author 1899 – 1977 Nabokov wrote his first nine novels in Russian, but he is considered as a master English prose stylist Emmigrated from Russia in 1918 Expressionism and symbolism influenced his prose His books are full of philosophical thoughts Parody and ironics was sometimes also parts of his work (in Lolita chapter 27 – parody of Joyces Stream of consciousness)

Pros vs cons Great topic, attractive Emotional narrator Nice cover  Not long Difficult language Sometimes boring descriptions