this post was submitted on 01 Jul 2024
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[–] chumbalumber@lemmy.blahaj.zone 132 points 4 months ago (7 children)

"There are two books whose final lines make me cry without fail, irrespective of how many times I read them," Rowling told BBC Radio 4. "One is 'Lolita.'"

(The other one, based on the context of the interview, seems to be "Emma.")

Like many other admirer's of Nabokov's novel of a pedophile who pursues a 12-year-old girl, Rowling loves it for the writing style.

"There just isn't enough time to discuss how a plot that could have been the most worthless pornography becomes, in Nabakov's hands, a great and tragic love story, and I could exhaust my reservoir of superlatives trying to describe the quality of the writing," she said.

Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/jk-rowling-favorite-books-2016-7?op=1#lolitaby-vladimir-nabokov-19

[–] Zagorath@aussie.zone 172 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Like many other admirer's of Nabokov's novel of a pedophile who pursues a 12-year-old girl, Rowling loves it for the writing style.

Oh ok, fair enough. Not an especially controversial take.

"There just isn't enough time to discuss how a plot…becomes…a great and tragic love story

Oh…oh no…

[–] BitchPeas@lemmy.world 127 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

She missed the whole point. The great writing is what is supposed to make you realize that you can be manipulative by narrative to condone evils. Stupid.

[–] TheDoozer@lemmy.world 27 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I feel like George R.R. Martin was doing that with incest. Starts out with shocking incest between twins, and then spend a bunch of books getting you used to the idea until you find yourself reluctantly cheering for a dude hooking up with his aunt.

[–] Zagorath@aussie.zone 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

cheering for a dude hooking up with his aunt.

Which dude, exactly?

Only one example immediately springs to mind, but that hasn't happened yet in the books. And the way it happened in the show, I'm not sure was executed very well, but I don't think it was really portrayed as a case where we "cheer for a dude". He barely seemed into it, definitely not as much as she was.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago

I've given up on anything happening in the books ever again.

[–] zloubida@lemmy.world 110 points 4 months ago (2 children)

It's a great novel, but not a love story.

[–] Ragdoll_X@lemmy.world 84 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Although I haven't read Lolita myself I recently came across a great video explaining how many people misunderstand the book as being some sort of tragic romance. LOLITA: The Worst Masterpiece

It's ironic that one of the most famous and successful writers in the world made this same mistake of trusting and sympathizing with the pedophilic murderer protagonist while claiming that she wants to protect women and children from the evil trans agenda or whatever.

[–] lobut@lemmy.ca 20 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I haven't read the book either but I heard this Lolita podcast series and it was a great breakdown about how it was misinterpreted. I couldn't believe everything I knew about it from mainstream media was off.

Will definitely be checking out your video!

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Jamie Loftus’ Lolita podcast? She’s AMAZING. I love when she* is a guest on Behind the Bastards too!

[–] Zagorath@aussie.zone 5 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Jamie being a unisex name, I dunno if "she's amazing" is the typo or "he is a guest" is.

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Rushed typing, nervous at animal hospital D:

[–] poplargrove@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Hope your critter gets better!

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Thank you, much love. It’s looking promising. About 2k USD more than our highest expectations though before we took him in @c@

Gonna make a GoFundMe for the first time and share it with my workmates and friends. I feel bad doing it because I feel there’s more important causes, but he’s not even four yet and he’s so important to us… not to mention his twin brother.

[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Post it here and I'll chip in. Take care of your fur baby!

Edit: or DM me the link, I don't want you to dox yourself.

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I made the fundme for friends and workmates and I appreciate your offer sooooooo dang much but I have privacy autism stuff and I don’t know how to PM things on Lemmy… I left Reddit after Apollo died and PMs were easy there but yeah. You’re a wonderful person for offering and both my partner and I are so thankful for your offer. Much love :3

[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

No worries, I completely understand. I hope everything goes well!

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 4 months ago

Thank you so much again—you’re sweet. Our little kitty boi is still in hospital but he’s stable now, it sounds like they’re hopeful he comes home soon. His littermate brother is very confused. :c

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Our boi is not even back from the hospital yet and we’re halfway to our goal of $3k… I feel so insanely fortuitous and appreciative. Thank you again for offering to chip in. <3

[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Aww, kitty! What happened to him?

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Blocked urinary tract D:

He went from totally normal to hiding from us and refusing to eat all day. We brought him into the vet and she IMMEDIATELY looked horrified and said “I need to make a call”, then rushed us off to an emergency hospital who informed us that if we had waited another day, he had a super high risk of dying… I guess this is a thing that can happen with boi kitties.

So they had to put him under heavy sedation, put a catheter in, and keep him for a day to flush his bladder. There’s still crystals as of the morning but he’s showing great progress!

Alas, what we thought was going to be a 500-700USD vet bill is now a LITTLE BIT MORE… the deposit to leave him there was 2.7k, and it could be up to another thousand, which is the reason we tried a fundraiser.

[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Poor guy! That happened to a kitty of mine when I was a kid, with the same symptoms. We caught it early and he was fine, but it was a scary couple of days while he stabilized at the vet. I hope your furry child is alright.

If cats just weren't so secretive and weird, instead throwing up all over the carpet and making a scene like dogs do, treating their issues would be so much easier.

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 4 months ago

I’m so sorry you had a kitty that also dealt with that! I’m glad he was okay.

Horking up on the carpet and making a scene is cats’ favorite thing to do!

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Update in case you care: He’s back, he’s SO PEPPY AND HAPPY AND HE LOVES LOVE! He’s peeing a bunch and he seems perfect. He just has to be in his own room for over a week, his brother is super needy right now. They even refunded us a bit, so with all of the support we received it was about 1kUSD out of pocket… a FAR CRY from the 3-4k we were expecting.

Much love again for offering us help but this went from terrible nightmare to manageable situation and all we care about is that he’s back, being himself, and super happy.

[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I was wondering! That's great, I'm so happy he's doing better!

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 4 months ago

So much love from my boi, myself, and my partner! This emergency couldn’t have gone more smoothly. Also people like you are why i love this…site? Blahaj seems like a collection of some of the best people, too. Thank you for caring for this internet stranger and their cat, and thank you so much again again for offering to help. <3

[–] Delta_@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I hope he recovers swiftly! In past emergencies (we have some dumb dogs…) I’ve had luck posting to reddit and Instagram, there are some charitable strangers out there!

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 4 months ago

Thank you so much! I use my real name so I can’t post it for strangers, but I’m insanely lucky to have some friend support already <3 I’ve been prefacing it with “I don’t expect anything from this but we made this because it was such a shock.” No chance we’ll hit the goal of The Amount(TM) but if we exceed it we’re donating anything extra to a no-kill shelter.

For context he’s a 4YO cat with a littermate brother who is very distressed right now, not knowing where his brother is. Outlook is good, so we’re thankful.

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 4 months ago

Bahahaha she’s a grill.

[–] magnetosphere@fedia.io 7 points 4 months ago

I haven’t read the book. I’ve only read about it… but from what I know, I don’t think I’d go with “love story” either. Ick.

[–] Baggie@lemmy.zip 46 points 4 months ago (2 children)

JFC if good prose is enough to make you okay with pesophilia maybe you weren't that far away from it in the first place

[–] chumbalumber@lemmy.blahaj.zone 82 points 4 months ago (3 children)

pesophilia

love of the Mexican currency.

[–] BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world 26 points 4 months ago

I just think it's neat.

[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 4 months ago

Me encanta tambien.

[–] Baggie@lemmy.zip 3 points 4 months ago

Lmao I'm leaving it in

[–] joonazan@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Crime novels about murders are a very popular type of book. Do you think that people read them because they'd enjoy watching murder in real life?

Also, the writing seriously is that good. I'd have completed the book if it was about watching paint dry.

[–] Baggie@lemmy.zip 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Depends on the person, but in general no. Enjoying the book is fine, but it shouldn't make you okay with the morally wrong concepts it presents. I don't read a murder mystery and come out of it thinking that murder is good, just like you shouldn't come out of fight club thinking fight clubs are good.

[–] joonazan@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 4 months ago

I interpreted your first comment as meaning that you are supposed to hate the book because of its topic as many people seem to think whenever it is brought up.

Rowling has said a lot more questionable things, though. And even written books about her insane opinions. Calling Lolita a love story makes sense, as that is the protagonist's point of view, even though the story is also many other things.

[–] lone_faerie@lemmy.blahaj.zone 34 points 4 months ago

"There just isn't enough time to discuss how a plot that could have been the most worthless pornography becomes, in Nabakov's hands, a great and tragic love story"

But there's plenty of time to discuss the opposite when it comes to trans people, apparently.

[–] abbiistabbii@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Oh my God she said this on BBC Radio 4, which is basically the main, national Radio station in the UK. To put this in context, this is like if Orson Scott Card said he agreed with the Main Character in Points of Origin.

[–] Silentiea@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

...in Points of Origin

Okay, I think you need to be more specific? I really don't know what story you're referring to.

[–] abbiistabbii@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

https://youtu.be/lFUTB48dSd8

Points of Origin was a book written by John Leonard Orr, an arson investigator who, between 1984 and 1991, repeatedly set fire to several shops and woodlands. He was later caught because he wrote a novel wherein a fictionalized version of himself described how he did it, including a part where he set fire to a hardware store in which four people, including a two year old died, describing how he died in lurid detail, right down to the fact the child liked Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, saying that "it was their fault they didn't get out in time, they were too stupid".

He was suspected of being, almost proven to be the serial arsonist, but he couldn't be brought in because they needed to catch him in the act. His superiors were informed he was a suspect, and one of said superiors called the police when Orr showed him a publisher's letter for this book which basically admitted he did it and how he did it.

[–] Silentiea@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Well. I did find that book, but not the story about it. Also, TIL Orson Scott Card is rather a bit of a homophobe.

[–] abbiistabbii@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 4 months ago

Hence why I chose him as the example.

[–] Socsa@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 months ago

It's a shame that Rowling picked up absolutely zero from Nabakov's writing style.