Ada, or Ardor - Vladimir Nabokov (21/100)

Staged in a parallel reality called "Antiterra",  Ada or Ardor is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov. It tells the story of two children related by the passion of their ancestry. Van Veen and Ada go further when they decide to trespass the conventions of erotism. They explore each other in Ardor in spite of the curiosity of Lucette, the little sister of Ada.

She is a lover of botany and he is a lover of literature. Both build through the chapters a relationship seasoned by complicity. While they grow up, they have to face the dark side of love. Ada confess she has been with other men; hence, hurt Van abandons the paradise and lives an erotic relationship with a woman in Manhattan. Her sister lives an ordinary life confined to boring jobs and to escort her father.

Distance is the measure of loneliness. Van realizes who his real love is. Both souls gather again but destiny prepares another obstacle for passion. Demon Veen realizes about the real state of the relationship of his children. Van understands inexorability of destiny and separates from Ada, again.

As a result of the games of Ada, Van and Lucette, the little sister falls in love with the boy. This feeling boils in her soul until the lonely Van rejects her during a trip. She suicides. Afterwards, because of a confusion Van is killed by a foreigner. An entire chapter is dedicated to explain time. Then, Van finds Ada again and Lucette has enormous debts.

The two lovers finally spend their last days moving from one villa to another. Violette writes Van memoirs, even detailed descriptions about his sexual sunset.

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The author creates a parallel world and an ethical issue (incest) in order to allow the reader to focus just in fiction. An association with any real topic perhaps would dilute the quality of the storyline into philosophical argument.

It is not common detailed descriptions in the artwork of Nabokov. Opposed to the common evolution of authors that starts from complex structures to simpler expression, this author chooses a complex, multilingual, detailed and merry style. In fact, the book is very large and sometimes as reader I perceive the narrator deviates to trivial statements.

However, high quality atmosphere constructions may be appreciated through the novel. From Ardor that captures innoncence and erotism to the mental hospitals where the Durmanov sisters die. Villas where the couple spends their last years may be peaceful like the rythm of this book.

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I think the best part of the book is when Lucette suicides. I can not explain the feeling that caught me: I was astonished and embarrassed for her.  

Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov (26/50)

Nabokov's "Lolita" was written in 1955. The author was a lover of butterflies, he researched about them and contributed to classify species. When sauntering in USA to get them, he confesses in "Speak, Memory" he was able to know landscapes, personalities and typical features of the North American culture.

The book is about Humbert, a frenchman born in Paris whose father was a hotel owner and whose Enlgish mother died early. Annabel was a girl with whom he could enjoy love and sexual desire which changed his life for ever.

Humbert has a theory about nymphets which are girls that he admires. When his uncle died, he specified that the heritage would not be given unless his nephew moved to America and showed some interest about the bussiness. 

Valeria (Humbert's wife) decides to escape from that exhausting marriage. She has an affaire with a taxi driver with a Russian aspect. 

Humbert moves to America. He lives with Haze family: Charlotte and Dolores. The character feels a deep atraction through Lolita, Charolotte's daughter. The Frenchman marries her; however, she realizes when reading hid diary that he is deeply in love with Lolita, the nymphet. 

Charlotte dies in a car accident.

Humbert takes Lolita and explains her that she has two options: living with him or becoming an orphan with a terrible lifestyle. She agrees traveling with him; however, she gets tired when starts to meet new people.  She runs away with Clare Quilty a playwright and pedophile. 

Solitud devours Humbert's heart. Hence, Rita enters the picture. He picked her up on the road between Montreal and New York. She was a constant company till one day when he recieved a letter from... Lolita.

It is about Lolita telling him she is married, she is pregnant and she needs some money. Dick (her husband) has debts. Humbert inquiries about the origin of the letter and realizes the nymphet is living in an industrial community to eight hundred miles to from New York City. He leaves Rita and drives towards his loved "Lo".

Humbert visited Lolita, and had an awkward conversation, she states firmly she will never return with him. He leaves Dolores' house disappointed.

Although it was a controversial novel, it is clean, sweet and describes Nabokov's version of USA.