Whoever thinks Lolita is a love story has obviously never read Lolita. Book is genuinely upsetting.

It's sad that the only review that isn't romanticizing this story is this guy. He doesn't call it a love story and makes it hilarious

"Man this nasty y'all." - Best quote ever.

"Must be this tall to ride" DECEASED

"I hope you like R. Kelly" AHAHAHA

10/10 for this review. "Lolita" is one of the best books I've ever read, for all the reasons you gave, and more. It shows how easily people can be manipulated with "pretty" words. It shows why propaganda is effective: take a monstrous situation and spin it and make it sound normal and natural. It shows how pedophiles get away with what they're doing, through all their tricks of being charming, lying, rationalizing, playing mind games. It shows that humor is seductive, lecturing is not. I can't think of any other book I've read that pulled me so quickly into the narrator's mindset, cheering for the bad guy, even though I knew everything he was doing was horrific and he was not to be trusted. But to be clear - Nabokov does not romanticize Humbert; there comes a moment at one point in the novel where you step back and look at what's going on, and you come back to your senses. It's a sucker punch, but so brilliantly done.

This turned out to be the most mind-bending book I ever read. Humbert's narrative is difficult to believe, excessively erudite and twisted as hell. Also, Lolita's death in the end actually pissed me off. The 1997 movie left me with the feeling I had witnessed a series crimes for which nobody was punished except for Lolita, who was the victim.

"First thing you best recognize is that we dealin' with the king of unreliable narrators up in this text." I cried laughing.

The theme of Lolita = Tyranny from the POV of the tyrant. Once you realize that, it makes reading it that much more interesting.

"She dead."

But in the end is Lolita really free? SPOILER Yes, technically Lo is free from Humbert when she gets married, but she soon eventually dies after giving birth. Not to mention the story of how Humbert ruined her life is immortalized in Humbert's memoirs. Humbert even says that this story, "is the only immortality you and I may share" So, in a way, Lolita is never free from what Humbert did to her.

Humbert not only manipulates you, he's also mocking you. He mentions at the beginning that he took pleasure in driving psychologists up the wall with crazy reasons behind his perversion and that's pretty much all he does to the reader throughout the entire book.

This book is great, so long as you have three things in mind: a) Pedophilia is wrong (I hope we can all agree on that), b) The narrator is SUPER unreliable (and misogynistic, he's just super shitty to both girls and adult women) and c) Dolores is the victim. With all this in mind it's a fantastic book that truly gets in the mind of the narrator and messes around with the reader's head.

Really disgusted by some of the comments trying to make Humbert the victim. I think this, from the author himself, says a lot about the book: “As far as I can recall, the initial shiver of inspiration [for Lolita] was somehow prompted by a newspaper story about an ape in the Jardin des Plantes, who, after months of coaxing by a scientist, produced the first drawing ever charcoaled by an animal: this sketch showed the bars of the poor creature's cage.” - Vladimir Nabokov

I’m glad I read this book. I was seeing an “older” dude (40), and he kept going on and on about how young I looked for my age. (28 at the time) First I was flattered, but then it got more and more creepy. After our second date he texted me “Goodnight my little nymphette” and I was like NOOOPE... I would have had no clue what he was talking about if it wasn’t for this book. Consensual age play is one thing (no kink shaming) but this was very one sided and he also had a teenage daughter who constantly had friends over... Hubert Vibes for sure ☠️

There’s a lot of comments trashing the book but I’d just like to point out that Nabokov wrote the book as a satirical warning. Humbert Humbert is a villain just as Nabokov intended. If you see him as relatable/misunderstood, then that’s YOUR problem and not the author’s!

I heard recently that Vladimir Nabokov was adamant that the cover not feature a girl, and I think it's such a shame that just about every copy I've seen has gone against his wishes. And I think that and the unfaithful film adaptions are a big reason so many people misintrepret this book. He said: "I want pure colors, melting clouds, accurately drawn details, a sunburst above a receding road with the light reflected in furrows and ruts, after rain. And no girls. … Who would be capable of creating a romantic, delicately drawn, non-Freudian and non-juvenile, picture for LOLITA (a dissolving remoteness, a soft American landscape, a nostalgic highway-that sort of thing)? There is one subject which I am emphatically opposed to: any kind of representation of a little girl."

"Hope you like R. Kelly" Ha! Best way to introduce this book. Great analysis of the book. Found the book disturbing the first time I ride it, then hilarious the second.

I love how they use baroque music in this series.

Hope you like R Kelly cause we be baggin jailbait. Lmfao you sir are fucking awesome.

i tried to read this book, not once but twice. i even read the summary and everything on the book to prepare myself, to be easier to read. but i could not read it! it made me so anxious and disturbed. it gave me horrible anxiety, it's the only book i have not been able to finish.

Before I watch thug notes I get my monocle, my curleh mustage and some tea. Like a gentleman would do.

Dafuq? That novel is crazier than I thought, damn.

For some reason, he left out Humbert's raping Delores in the Summary. One of the most disturbing parts of the book.

"Hope you like R Kelly". Brilliant mate

Some people are saying this book had them cheering for Humbert to get what he wanted.... No. The entire time I was waiting, hoping, praying, Lolita would get away. Hoping she would tell. Hoping an adult would figure it out. 😟

I used to go to a Catholic All-Girl school when I was in High School. I found this book in our library (dont know why its there) and read it because I thought it would make me cool and edgy. My teacher saw it on my table and whispered "Light of my life. Fire of my loins." and told me to remind her when I will return it so she could read it. I ended the book as a changed peson. A woman grown.

A lot of people dont understand that the book is from Humbert's point of view, he's romanticizing Lolita to make it seem as if it's ok to have a sexual relationship with a 12 year old girl, when really she wants to escape. This dude is the only person ive seen that understands that, and this is supposed to be just a random funny video

Lolita is the reason why "Dont judge the book by its cover" exist. Seriously, people think this is romantic stories. So does hollywood, but its not.

Holy shit this is dark.

Thing is like how is the book so fucked up. like nabokov wasn't even that weird, he went butterfly hunting in the forest with his wife being all idyllic and shit.

God bless thug notes for having a good and non-romanticizing review of this 👏👏

This book really hit me hard. As someone who's been groomed before I really hated the character.... but I also really liked him because he reminded me of my groomer... my groomer started talking to me when I was around 11. He would see me after school and treat me like his closest daughter. And at that age i got really dependent and attached to him... years later i can really feel the mental toll it took on me. I shook it off before as something that will go by me in a few weeks, but I still feel really terrible about the situation... and I really REALLY miss him.. im more hurt about him leaving me than him talking to me but i know that it was a good decision for him to leave me behind. And cause i care about him i let him go... but deep down i still want his comfort again... his last words to me were how much he felt guilty about it... I'm so disgusted and sad at the same time.

O_O... Well, now I know what The Police meant by "that book by Nabokov."

I hope you like R. Kelly!

You know, this book's author, Mr. Nabokov, had a very strange hobby: he would remove the genitalia of butterflies to identify their genders. He was a very peculiar man in general, if being famed for writing a book about a paedo wasn't weird enough.

"Man, this nasty ya'll!" This is definitely my favorite thug notes vid.

I had a man like this. My first everything, I was 17. He kept trying to find his childhood love from me and I fell into it. This movie, besides the father daughter dynamic and mother dying, was what I went through with him. He had me cater to him, give him all my money, let him treat me like shit because he took almost everything from me and I gave up having no one else to turn to and no where else to go. Ive only watched this once because its like flashbacks of my own expierence. I truly feel for lolita and I find nothing more satisfying then him going to prison and dying, however her death is the saddest of all. She lost everything including her life in the end. This is not a love story but instead a horror show.

It's scary how timely the opening joke is almost 5 years later

Been Thugscribed™ ever since your first video and you are still doing great! Keep up the amazing work!

I know that sympathizing with Humbert was the writer's goal as the ultimate mind fuck (in my opinion) but I didn't. And I believe it was because I went in knowing that he lusted after a child and eventually got what he wanted. That's just something I could never get over, so when I read this book in college, it just turned my stomach inside out and I never sympathized with Humbert. And it was also easier for me to see how messed up the entire situation was. I was able to look at the story from his point of view and Lolita's and take it all in. These are very complex characters (which is wonderful) but I just couldn't sympathize. It was an amazingly written book but it was also a book that I hated for the content, not the writing style.

I love how this review downplays the romantic reputation this novel has. The novel played for me more like a psychological horror, because the constant gas lighting from the narrator by making blatantly monstrous acts deserving of the readers empathy and receptiveness to artistic charm constantly put me in an oscillating state of fascination and eventual disgust once the reality of his depravity hit me. I felt sick and angry, yet confused by my appreciation of his beautiful poetry. I kept reading despite the strain this novel put on my mind, because it was an interesting exploration of inner confusion. Thats the mark of good horror to me.

My obligatory quoting of the opening lines (not including the forward): "Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita."

This was one of my favorite books when I was in high school. And, whatever Nabokov intended Humbert Humbert's story line to allude to, it helped me know, on a level, and ultimately be aware for predatory behaviors of older men who act very sympathetic and fatherly. But it is very well written, it seems sympathetic for Humbert, but the real sympathetic character is Lolly, who got in over her head but really never had any control over the situation, sadly.

That R Kelly joke aged like fine wine

you should do The Perks Of Being A Wallflower but the book

"This nasty ya'll." That pretty much summarizes the entirety of the book.

''Aged 9 to fucking 14'' hahaha xD

I’ve watched several reviews and they didn’t scratch what u talked about actually insane. For someone who hasn’t watched it yet.

I freaking lost it at "he got his own set of problems, and a bitch IS one."

Can I ask for "Flowers for Algernon?" Thank you.

that R.Kelly reference really aged like a fine expensive wine

I’m assuming that the term “loli” comes from here.

I always thought of the story as a warning to humanity’s destructive attempts to justify what their deepest tendencies

Sir, you just earned yourself a new subscriber. Great work, keep it up!

Keep it up guys! Especially my playa sweets

Can't get Herbert the Pervert out of my head now.

One of my favorite books, I have the opening line tattooed. Absolutely horrific and disgusting plot but so genius and beautiful.

You made me understand that book finally.

Damn these videos are great, especially when you haven't read a book yet but are interested in it

It's 12:48 AM 9/10/2019 And this is the first video i've watched by this channel, this is great, thank you KZfaq

He actually makes me want to read LOLITA dang his summaries make the most boring book soo interesting :3

Finished reading this book. Funny, awesome, and accurate summary.

You did it, the master challenge, I am proud.

These videos are one of the highlights of my week :)

Thank you so much Thugnotes, been asking for this for awhile. Made my night :-)

i've always loved these. i miss this guy.

"I hope you like R Kelly!" I'm done, I'm done and already dead. Genius, I love this so much.

I want Mr. Thug Notes to be my English teacher. I feel like he’d support me.

I've read this book a couple times now. It is amazing how the author wrote this. Sheer genius!

My new favorite KZfaq channel! How did I not know you existed before today?!

Wow, great summary. Well done.

This is probably my favorite educational / literary analysis channel ever, and I want to thank you for putting this together. Is it possible to know what book you're going to do for the next episode of this show? I don't know how you figure out your schedule, but it'd be an interesting experience to re-read the book on the weekend and then get the Sparky Sweets, PHD. recap on Tuesday.

I just found this series and I love it! Keep up the amazing work

This guy's voice is like butter to my ears. And it doubles in awesome since he's giving tons of food for thought.

I read the book Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi and it was one of the best memoirs I've ever read. It's about being an English literature professor in Iran during the Iranian revolution. In the book Nafisi lost her job and started an all women book club where they read books like the Great Gatsby and Lolita. Lolita became one of their favorite books for reasons that are explained in the memoir. Reading Lolita in Tehran is one of my favorite books and I recomend it. I read Lolita immediate after I finished it.

This story always made me think of Law & Order:SVU lol

I absolutely fell in love with the writing in this book. I read it in one day back when I was way way younger. I LOVED this video so so much. You hit the nail on the head.

The first sentence "I hope you like R. Kelly cause we back in jail big for Lolita" immediately sent me lmfao. I'm glad Thug Notes went back to my KZfaq recommendations

The script in this video is funny as he'll. "He done got you by the balls, sucka!" I'm going to try to work the phrase into at least three conversations tomorrow.

"Man this nasty y'all" Lol. Love these thug cliff notes.

Love the way you're makin this book sh't cool. Really admire your work and great choices of books to review! Putnee

I am SOOO happy Film Theorist recommended you!!! Besides the tv/movie analysis vids-I LOVE your philosophy videos and now your book reviews!!! You both are my absolute favorite channels on KZfaq!!! Thank you for all you do!!! :-D :-D :-D Now going on a binge-watch of your book reviews.... ^_^

"And she was mine, she was mine, her hand was in my fist, my fist was in my pocket and my pocket had hole in it, she was mine." Wait a minute, that's not how the quote went...

These Thug Notes are all the more entertaining when I've read the book that he's talking about.

I always get my learnin' on with Thug Notes...best four minutes of high-concept brain-jacking and thought provoking analysis.

Man, you bringing it again! Great job!

This is probably one of the best literary analysis channels i have stumbled upon recently. PLEASE DO BLOOD MERIDIAN BY CORMACK McCARTHY! The Judge is probably one of my favorite literary characters!

I must be too cynical for this book. I've read it with "DUDE, you're trying to justify your lust for a prepubescent girl!" firmly lodged in my brain. Turns out that in the end I sat on the wrong jury.

Yes! Thank you! Great book, if you read the annotated version. Vlads alliteration and use of English as a second language is unique and mindblowingly sophisticated. The story is interesting, but the imagery is unforgettable. Thank you for this.

This is one of the best and most concise summaries I have heard plus hearing it told in this type of way is amazing! I love it!!!!! ❤Although I am not sure that’s how I remember the end of Lolita lol

Think about what this book says about what women must go through, too. Dolores, or Lo must become something totally else in order to evade her predator.... Does anyone else see this too?

Humbert is NOT an unreliable narrator. I disagree about Humbert being an "unreliable" narrator. On the contrary, I would say that he is a surprisingly honest narrator. In his testimony he doesn't flinch from telling us about incidents and scenes that portray him in the worst light. He also often admits his depravity and claims to suffer from guilt at his debauchery in transient moments of moral self-awareness. And, we are left in no doubt about Humbert's internal justifications for his paedophilic actions and the thoughts, desires, obsessions and fantasies that drive his despicable crime. Humbert never tries to fool us into thinking that he has ever considered, even for one second, what is best for Dolores, or to convince us that he ever treated her as a human being, let alone as a highly vulnerable child. Humbert's narration never gives us the slightest glimpse of Dolores as a person, she is openly portrayed in the text solely as an object for his personal sexual gratification. Is Humbert's testimony naive or a reflection of his sociopathic personality that is unable to show empathy for others? I don't think he hides anything, aside from avoiding any exaggeratedly salacious or graphic details of his sexual assaults on Dolores - the description of Humbert's initial masturbatory experience with Dolores' legs on his lap and subsequent rapes are elegantly handled by Nabokov. Humbert's paedophiliac mind convinces him by delusion that his actions are morally acceptable, understandable and excusable, and that society's rejection of his obsessive sexual compulsions are unreasonable. His delusion is apparent to the point of suggesting that "his Lolita" instigated the seduction of him - this is not unreliable narration, it is the truth as his perverted mind, or more accurately perhaps, his memory, perceives and assimilates the truth. He is not persuading us to believe something that he believes to be untrue. Nabokov's mastery of language, constantly playful, challenging, insightful, erudite, inspiring is sensational; he really was a writer of immense talent, and in his second language too. As a reader, I would suggest he has no better in the construction of luxurious, ornate, engaging and satisfying writing.

This was EXCELLENT! Such a great job!

I read the book and the analysis is so real

Awesome! Brilliant! Your analysis is spot on about how I feel about this book. I feel guilty but still. XD It's a bit like the book "Perfume" and "In Cold Blood" (both of which do an awesome job at making the villains seem 'okay' while they're describing those horrible acts.)

This best summery of this book that I can imagine to give is simply “😨”

I've been waiting patiently for Lolita and today you delivered! Now I will wait for The Grapes of Wrath!

I heard about this book the first time I watched this video in the beginning of the year. Last week, I read it, and, well, what can I say: It absolutely blew my mind! Strong recommendation to all you other viewers, it is truly a masterpiece.

This is brilliant! PLEASE do Slaughterhouse 5! I can imagine the analysis portion of the video would be like 10 minutes long haha.