The 1955 novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, which was initially censored, is now regarded as one of the greatest works of literature of the twentieth century, inspiring many readers to seek out more works of literature in the same vein. Dolores Haze, his teenage stepdaughter, is the subject of a fictional memoir written by a former literature professor using the pseudonym Humbert Humbert.

Humbert takes Lolita across the country, bribing her for sexual favors while attempting to hide their'relationship' from Dolores' mother's sudden death, which of course led to their eventual demise

Because of Nabokov's mastery of wordplay and his ability to soften the difficult subject matter with puns, anagrams, and double entendres, Lolita is regarded as one of the greatest works of literature in the history of the world.

List of books like Lolita based on deceptive narratives, characters who live by their own rules and where the author has influenced those around them with their genius, even though they have been condemned for the story they've told, has been compiled below. If Lolita wowed you, you'll be delighted by these as well.

8 Books like Lolita

American Psycho, by Brett Easton Ellis

American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis, who allegedly received death threats after its publication in 1991, is the first novel on our list of books like Lolita. Violence, particularly against women, and the book's potentially disturbing events have been cited as major flaws.

Patrick Bateman, a successful Manhattan businessman by day and a sadistic murderer by night, serves as the story's second unreliable narrator. After the reader witnesses Bateman's first killing, the reader will see his killing tendencies spiral into brutally drawn-out torture sequences. It's hard for anyone to believe him as his sanity fades, leaving the reader to make up their own mind about what's real.

What makes American Psycho such a great book is its ability to show the American elite's lust for money and power in comparison to their mental health issues, which makes it one of the greatest books ever written.

Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert

In Gustave Flaubert's debut novel, Madame Bovary, the titular Emma Bovary deceitfully lives beyond her means in an attempt to escape the drudgery of provincial life in France's northern regions.

As a result of Emma Bovary's incredibly romantic outlook, her life spirals out of control and her husband, Charles, is left to pick up the pieces.

In 1856, when the novel was published, adultery was considered a scandal, and Flaubert was put on trial for his art because of the novel's depiction of it.

Acquitted: Flaubert's Madame Bovary has gone on to become one of the most influential literary works in history, making it a perfect addition to this list of novels like Lolita.

A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess

A Clockwork Orange is a dystopian black comedy set in the near future that depicts a young subculture characterized by extreme violence and barbarism.

We are given a first-person account by our hero, Alex (a teenage boy), who tells his own story, one that is subjective and based on his own experiences with the state, which are aimed at helping him change. Free will, untouchability, and government oppression are all themes in Anthony Burgess's 1962 classic novel, which emphasizes both good and bad aspects of human nature.

Many adaptations, including plays and theater performances, have followed the book's initial condemnation for its depictions of violent crime and juvenile delinquency, but perhaps the most well-known is the 1971 Stanley Kubrick film, which brought with it its own wave of notoriety.

If you enjoyed Humbert's subjective realities, you'll love Alex in A Clockwork Orange if you enjoyed Lolita.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, by Truman Capote

Adapted into a film starring Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's tells the story of a free spirit torn between a desire for and a resistance to a home.

Holly Golightly, a country girl turned New York society girl who lives in the same building as them, is told by an anonymous narrator. The narrator is drawn to Holly Golightly for the same reasons her other suitors are: her candor and beauty. She has no job and makes her living by entertaining wealthy men who lavish her with cash and expensive gifts.

Even though Truman Capote refers to Golightly as a 'American Geisha,' rather than a prostitute, his character's portrayal of a woman with such a strong sexual appetite and a willingness to openly seduce men for money drew criticism at the time.

Breakfast at Tiffany's, based on the author's original typed manuscript, sold at auction in 2013 for more than $306,000 and is a great alternative to Lolita.

Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad

For those looking for more novels like Nabokov's Lolita, Joseph Conrad's best-known, most controversial, and most influential work, Heart of Darkness, was published in 1899.

The narrator recounts a night on a ship docked on the Thames, where he meets Charles Marlowe, a former ivory trader who became the leader of a savage tribe in the Belgian Congo. It is shown in Conrad's novel that "civilized societies" and "savagery" are indistinguishable.

However, Heart of Darkness was an inspiration to many, including Francis Ford Coppola who directed the 1979 blockbuster Apocalypse Now and T. S. Eliot used Conrad's famous line "Mistah Kurtz-he dead" in his poem The Hollow Men in 1925, despite the book's deplorable and offensive content. A lot of these authors, like Lolita, believe in pushing the envelope when it comes to their subject matter, and this shows how important it is to do so.

The God of Small Things, by Arundhati Roy

The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy's debut novel, is one of my favorites. Published in 1997, it was a worldwide sensation, winning the Booker Prize and sparking controversy around the world. It has since been translated into 42 languages and has sold an estimated 6 million copies.

Critics in Roy's native India have slammed the book for its uncensored depiction of sexuality and violence without regard for cultural context, which resulted in her being taken to court.

Complex, multi-faceted and multi-layered, The God of Small Things is a novel that shows trauma, the loss of innocence in children and forbidden attraction defying love laws that dictate who should be loved.

As a fan of Nabokov's use of language, you'll be entranced by The God of Small Things, as well.

Lists like Lolita are difficult to put together because of the controversy and portrayal of a sexual predator in the novel, but I decided to compile this list based on authors who aren't afraid to tackle subjects that are considered "taboo" in order to honor the novel's genius.

Those who enjoy Nabokov's Lolita will be delighted by this list, which includes works by some of the most controversial and influential authors of the past century and around the world.

---