I was surprised how much I actually liked the book. You can't deny the writing is superb and for me that was the major reason I enjoyed it. The protagonist, Humbert, is a horrible person, but his articulation is divine. His way of describing scenes and situations pulls you into the story even if you are disgusted by him as a person. You can tell he views himself as part of the upper echelon of society, however through his prose you can also see how weak and pathetic he is. His prey, Lolita, is probably one of the most tragic figures in literature. We only see things from her perspective, very briefly, through Humbert's eyes. Only towards the end does he come to the conclusions any sane person would have known from the beginning and by then it's too late for everyone involved.
I'm glad I read it now and not earlier. Breaking it down as literature helped me enjoy it more than I would have reading it on my own with no guide. Honestly if I read it independently, I may have put it down because the subject matter is uncomfortable. Amazingly, though, I highly recommend it. Read it for the writing.
