Lolita- Vladamir Nabakov

I never had any desire to read this novel because of the subject matter (pedophilia isn't my thing and I avoid Lifetime because I don't think women should be portrayed as constant victims), but my friend guilted me into it as a classic that I hadn't touched. Surprisingly, I really liked it and can see why it's become a cornerstone of American literature. Despite knowing the finale at the beginning, the story flows well and the language is beautiful. The profane writing is minimal (although perhaps more disturbing than something more explicit) and you honestly feel that even though you can't related to the narrator, the pathetic rationalizations and attempts at self-honesty may actually represent the thinking of such predators. The depiction of Dolores herself is quite good, separate from Humbert's skewed vision of her, and you get the constant feeling that there's a lot more to her than Humbert realizes. Charlotte's tragedy breaks the heart. One thing I found interesting was the the murder (and Claire) are just vehicles for the story, barely touched upon or fleshed out, despite being the supposed climax of everything. Again, this is consistent with the perspective of the narrator. Definitely worth the read.