I entered the book with curiosity about a subculture i really have nothing to do with and did not understand and exited the book floored, wowed, awed, inspired and filled with so much more respect for this movement and the statement Lolitas are making. I had no idea how shunned and rejected Lolitas could be, and what a statement of personal sovereignty Lolitas are making. (And the fact it has nothing at ALL to do with Nabokov or his famous character, thank goodness!) The tricky issues of consumerism and aging and the sad reality of fashion history being so poorly archived all get airtime in this amazing collection.