I just got done reading this book for at least the second time (quite possibly the third, who can remember?) and I'm going to let the 4 star rating stand. This is a very good book, difficult at times, beautiful imagery, poetic, yes funny too, believe it or not but I feel it suffers from a few flaws. Namely, it get's kind of long winded and boring at times. There is no respite from Humbert Humbert, no character development, since it is Humbert's tale, everything is processed through his deluded mind, and that wears thin after a while. Obsessions are like that, rarely as interesting to the outsider no matter how you dress it up. Humbert's sense of superiority then complete self loathing just grates on one's nerves. The language is beautiful yes, but at the end of the day I read for the story and the story gets old and then even somewhat preposterous. The writer takes the ugliest subject one can imagine, uses exceptional skill to make the experience almost enjoyable, makes the reader feel some small shred of compassion for the main character against one's will... that's why I'm giving it 4 stars.