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leyashekanena's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
casspro's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up in a used bookstore, not knowing anything about the plot. In fact, the only thing I knew was that I had just finished Rice's Vampire Lestat series and was hungry for more. My parents would be shocked if they knew how much I enjoyed this. I would flip through the book to find the more juicy parts in long, hum-drum car rides. Good for miles of entertainment. Just don't let your blushes give you away.
mryjne's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
melaniemccreary's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
andrealoverke's review against another edition
I read this book because I watched the movie and hoped it would be better than the movie. but helas, I didnt like it at all. poorly written.
mnboyer's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely adore this book. With so many new stories about BDSM, I find myself always going back to this novel as if it is some sort of "source material" that others used and created new tales with. The storyline is steamy. I keep trying to find stories that feel original, and just cannot find something like this. Truly one of my favorite Anne Rice novels.
Not to mention, there's a cute film adaptation if you're interested in adaptation theory.
Not to mention, there's a cute film adaptation if you're interested in adaptation theory.
milesandmiles's review against another edition
The writing in this steadily went downhill. Signed up for erotica which quickly turned into bad, navel-gazing, rich person literary fiction.
jugglingpup's review against another edition
1.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I picked up this book because I expected something like The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, but I was really disappointed. Instead it was an attempt to discuss BDSM intellectually that fell short of capturing any of the conversations that happen in the BDSM community but instead show views of people not in the community. There is the notion that one doesn’t engage in BDSM if one is in love (that seemed to be the main moral of the story), but that is not the case. There is also the idea that only someone psychologically damaged would engage in BDSM, again not so though there are many people with PTSD, MDD, and more that do engage in BDSM.
The plot of the novel was very badly paced. Within a week the two characters had fallen madly in love and were willing to give up everything that they had built for themselves for the other. They even agreed to be married by the end (big spoiler, sorry, but really that was predicable from the first chapter). The fact that they made that big of a jump in a week made the story unbelievable and added to the feeling that the author was trying to make the characters mentally unstable to justify their BDSM leanings.
There was little to no kink in the story despite it taking place partially in a kink paradise. The kinkiest thing that happened was really dangerous, but lasted only a few pages. Anne Rice, and many other authors, fail to recognize the danger of anal sex play. The characters she writes have to undergo anal torture without any form of stretching or lubrication which can rip the anus and cause terrible pain and complications. Yet the scenes that Rice has written there is no mention of preparation for any form of penetration (one scene had a guy that was well endowed involved). This is common for her books and so is the lack of any form of birth control. This is almost as troubling as the attempts to over analyze kink and in the end shame many of those involved in the scene. Though I was happily surprised at how well she knew the lingo (knowing that scenes are called playing), I in the end was sadly surprised at her attempts to explain why people engage in BDSM.
Over all this book was one I regret reading as it was predictable, very un-sexy, and it is very limited in its attempt to be intellectual. Rice even references two of her previous novels as kinky classics! At first I laughed thinking that she was going to outshine herself, but by the end I was so upset that she had the audacity to connect the two works. She also compares BDSM to war. BDSM is often done out of love and trust, war is a very destructive force. I was disturbed by the author saying the BDSM was very similar to war and I very concerned that people believe this notion.
I picked up this book because I expected something like The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, but I was really disappointed. Instead it was an attempt to discuss BDSM intellectually that fell short of capturing any of the conversations that happen in the BDSM community but instead show views of people not in the community. There is the notion that one doesn’t engage in BDSM if one is in love (that seemed to be the main moral of the story), but that is not the case. There is also the idea that only someone psychologically damaged would engage in BDSM, again not so though there are many people with PTSD, MDD, and more that do engage in BDSM.
The plot of the novel was very badly paced. Within a week the two characters had fallen madly in love and were willing to give up everything that they had built for themselves for the other. They even agreed to be married by the end (big spoiler, sorry, but really that was predicable from the first chapter). The fact that they made that big of a jump in a week made the story unbelievable and added to the feeling that the author was trying to make the characters mentally unstable to justify their BDSM leanings.
There was little to no kink in the story despite it taking place partially in a kink paradise. The kinkiest thing that happened was really dangerous, but lasted only a few pages. Anne Rice, and many other authors, fail to recognize the danger of anal sex play. The characters she writes have to undergo anal torture without any form of stretching or lubrication which can rip the anus and cause terrible pain and complications. Yet the scenes that Rice has written there is no mention of preparation for any form of penetration (one scene had a guy that was well endowed involved). This is common for her books and so is the lack of any form of birth control. This is almost as troubling as the attempts to over analyze kink and in the end shame many of those involved in the scene. Though I was happily surprised at how well she knew the lingo (knowing that scenes are called playing), I in the end was sadly surprised at her attempts to explain why people engage in BDSM.
Over all this book was one I regret reading as it was predictable, very un-sexy, and it is very limited in its attempt to be intellectual. Rice even references two of her previous novels as kinky classics! At first I laughed thinking that she was going to outshine herself, but by the end I was so upset that she had the audacity to connect the two works. She also compares BDSM to war. BDSM is often done out of love and trust, war is a very destructive force. I was disturbed by the author saying the BDSM was very similar to war and I very concerned that people believe this notion.
mscheriesyncere's review against another edition
3.0
Thankfully, the book is NOTHING like the movie, which was watered down with stupid comedy. The Rosie O'Donnell, Dan Akroyd, Iman, and whoever played Iman's partner--those characters are nowhere in the story.
I love how Anne creates the Club and its members. The imagery was expected. Predictable. I liked it, though, and I took it for what it was--another vanilla interpretation of BDSM. I still don't like how she implies that BDSM is something that you can just walk away clean from. But I try not to hold that against her.
It's a passable diversion from the outside world, not nearly as elaborate as the Beauty Series. It's not a story that I would want to read twice.
I love how Anne creates the Club and its members. The imagery was expected. Predictable. I liked it, though, and I took it for what it was--another vanilla interpretation of BDSM. I still don't like how she implies that BDSM is something that you can just walk away clean from. But I try not to hold that against her.
It's a passable diversion from the outside world, not nearly as elaborate as the Beauty Series. It's not a story that I would want to read twice.