AdaAda
Score Classic
What it's about
Two young people begin an innocent childhood romance, then discover a wonderful and terrible secret about themselves.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's one of Nabokov's most ambitious and dazzling books.
You'll love it if you liked
Lolita
Pale Fire
Speak, MemoryGood to know
It's dense and full of wordplay, so it's not the place to start with Nabokov.
By the numbers
- Readers65 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller15 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #218 of the 504 fantasy books we rank
- #500 of the 924 classics we rank
- #1572 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking, Moving
More by Vladimir Nabokov
Pale FireSpeak, MemoryLolita
PninIf you like this, read next
Cat's Eye
The Lord of the Rings
The Dispossessed
Foundation
Ficciones
Rendezvous with RamaExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Ada worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,572 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Ada about?
Two young people begin an innocent childhood romance, then discover a wonderful and terrible secret about themselves.
How long does it take to read Ada?
About 15 hours (606 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Ada?
If you liked it, try Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov or Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov.