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Cover of Lolita

Classics · Literary

Lolita

by Vladimir Nabokov

Bestseller: about 50 million copies (estimate)

3.9 out of 5, from 1,453 ratings from Hardcover readers

Humbert Humbert, an educated European, recounts from prison his obsession with a twelve-year-old girl and the cross-country journey that followed. His elegant, self-justifying narration is the book's trap.

Facts last checked 2026-10-16

First published
1955
Pace
Slow
Length
Medium
Pages
335
Format
Standalone
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Read this if you want a landmark of unreliable narration and ornate prose and can face a deeply disturbing narrator.

Skip this if depictions of child sexual abuse are something you cannot read, even when the narrator is condemned.

The feel

Content warnings

  • Child sexual abuse
  • Abuse
  • Manipulation
  • Death

Also reported by Hardcover readers:

  • Pedophilia
  • Rape
  • Adult/minor relationship
  • Death of parent
  • Child abuse
  • Gun violence
  • Drug use
  • Child Sexual Assault
  • Murder

Quick answers about Lolita

What is Lolita about?
Humbert Humbert, an educated European, recounts from prison his obsession with a twelve-year-old girl and the cross-country journey that followed. His elegant, self-justifying narration is the book's trap.
Who should read Lolita?
Read it if you want a landmark of unreliable narration and ornate prose and can face a deeply disturbing narrator. Skip it if depictions of child sexual abuse are something you cannot read, even when the narrator is condemned.
How long and how fast is Lolita?
It is a slow-paced, medium read of about 335 pages, first published in 1955.
Does Lolita have content warnings?
Content we flag: Child sexual abuse, Abuse, Manipulation, Death.
Can I borrow Lolita for free?
Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Lolita; the borrow button above searches it for you.
What should I read after Lolita?
Readers who liked it often move on to The Secret History, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Gone Girl.

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