The first book of Nabokov's that I've read was The Enchanter, the "Lolita prototype." I wasn't enthralled by the writing style, and thought it was plain. What really kept my attention was the characters. Nabokov, like many great Russian writers, has this skill to create characters that feel like real people. I thought that the MC would be someone I could find on an obscure alt-chan with people that completely melted their brains from staying on image boards for over a decade. His thoughts and perversion were spot on for a hephebophile and the eventual climax was great. It was funny as well.

                   The next book of his I read was Mary. This one I enjoyed much more than The Enchanter. In this, Nabokov expands beyond sole focus on one character (the mc) and creates a small community in one apartment area. Podtyagin is my favorite of this cast. An aged Russian poet that wasn't able to reach success and is relegated to this hodgepodge of a shared house. I was rooting for Podtyagin and was saddened when his dreams were stifled. He was definitely the most likeable character, and I loved that Ganin had read his poetry when he was younger. That was a lovely addition-a very heartfelt moment. Lydia, the Landlady, I liked very much as well. The elders in this novella were very sweet. And, of course, Klara was very nice as well. Ganin hadn't really cared for her, so, as the reader, it's hard to if you get yourself into the MC. She was nice though. The writing, again, was fine. I wasn't struck by it.

                   I'm really waiting for the "wow factor" in Nabokov's work. I've not read his magnum opus, Lolita, but I'm hoping it lives up to the reputation. These two books of Nabokov's that I've read were some of his earliest work; I'll hold my breath in anticipation for when I read Lolita or Ada or Ardor. Though I haven't found a single writer that comes close to Herman Melville. It might be hard to enjoy the writing style of other authors, even after reading only a small bit of Moby Dick. It felt magical to read.