Zacharias Foster answers “Do you have to read Lolita before you read...”

Sarah asked this question about Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle:

Do you have to read Lolita before you read this book?

Zacharias Foster Lolita and Ada are, for the most part, completely unrelated novels. There are a handful of references to Nabokov's earlier books sprinkled throughout …moreLolita and Ada are, for the most part, completely unrelated novels. There are a handful of references to Nabokov's earlier books sprinkled throughout the text, but these aren't at all essential to understanding and enjoying Ada. That said, if you aren't familiar with some of Nabokov's other work, Ada might prove a difficult point of entry. It's frequently recondite, maddeningly dense, and seasoned with "orgies of epithelial alliterations." It's a magnificent book, it really is, but it might not be a bad idea to start yourself off in shallower Nabokovian waters.(less)

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