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2.94 AVERAGE
2.94 AVERAGE
I reviewed this up on my blog: http://paperfruit.wordpress.com/2010/02/03/fanny-hill/
Notwithstanding the fact that this book was published in 1748 nor the fact that one might choose to call it "erotica" this is, in fine, a dirty book. It is neither more nor less than that, really. I don't know if it is possible to write a truly literary work about sex; it is too repetitive an act and the anatomy of it too similar from one person to another (within the same sex, that is) to admit of much in the way of variety or interest beyond the prurient. Not that Mr. Cleland does not give it the old college try. His various descriptions of male and female anatomy range from the ridiculous to the sublime, though they never reach the truly poetic.
Don't get me wrong, I am aware that many authors from Anais Nin to Roth to Nabokov to Henry Miller have included magnificent and quite accomplished descriptions of sexual acts of great variety in their works and that these are truly works of merit. But this book really is purely for the purpose of describing several acts of what is actually rather pedestrian heterosexual sex and, to be honest, that just gets plain boring after awhile if one is not a teenage boy (having been one quite some time ago, I am fairly certain this is true).
It is also rather laughable that Cleland writes as a woman here, since he seems to be rather ignorant of the parts of a woman which truly lead to sexual pleasure. I find it amusing, as well, that he flatters himself and those of his sex by asserting that women, even those who do it for a living, are constantly panting for the touch of a man's hands and organs. And what organs! Except for one unfortunate man (who also quite conveniently has a deplorable personality) all of the penises described in this book are quite gargantuan and ready for work. How modest of John to attribute such acumen to so many of us.
Perhaps even more amusing is the high dudgeon that Fanny, our licentious narrator, finds herself in when she witnesses an act of (gasp!) homosexual sex between two men. She is in a state of such moral outrage that she proposes to denounce the men to the whole inn in which she is staying and is kept from it only by the expedient of an unfortunate accident which knocks her senseless. A little silly, isn't it, John, for a whore to deplore this act so thoroughly? It also strikes me as odd that Fanny has no familiarity with anal or oral sex herself, nor do any of her fellow inmates at the houses she works from seem to, as if they were the most Calvinist prostitutes alive. Mr. Cleland might have been sad had he known what he was missing!
Ah, well, it's all good fun. That this is sometimes esteemed a classic work is a bit of a head-scratcher. I like a dirty story as well as the next guy and few are the novels for adults that don't contain at least some sexual content; I would miss it if it were cut from them. But this is, as I said, your run-of-the-mill dirty book and not much more than that.
Don't get me wrong, I am aware that many authors from Anais Nin to Roth to Nabokov to Henry Miller have included magnificent and quite accomplished descriptions of sexual acts of great variety in their works and that these are truly works of merit. But this book really is purely for the purpose of describing several acts of what is actually rather pedestrian heterosexual sex and, to be honest, that just gets plain boring after awhile if one is not a teenage boy (having been one quite some time ago, I am fairly certain this is true).
It is also rather laughable that Cleland writes as a woman here, since he seems to be rather ignorant of the parts of a woman which truly lead to sexual pleasure. I find it amusing, as well, that he flatters himself and those of his sex by asserting that women, even those who do it for a living, are constantly panting for the touch of a man's hands and organs. And what organs! Except for one unfortunate man (who also quite conveniently has a deplorable personality) all of the penises described in this book are quite gargantuan and ready for work. How modest of John to attribute such acumen to so many of us.
Perhaps even more amusing is the high dudgeon that Fanny, our licentious narrator, finds herself in when she witnesses an act of (gasp!) homosexual sex between two men. She is in a state of such moral outrage that she proposes to denounce the men to the whole inn in which she is staying and is kept from it only by the expedient of an unfortunate accident which knocks her senseless. A little silly, isn't it, John, for a whore to deplore this act so thoroughly? It also strikes me as odd that Fanny has no familiarity with anal or oral sex herself, nor do any of her fellow inmates at the houses she works from seem to, as if they were the most Calvinist prostitutes alive. Mr. Cleland might have been sad had he known what he was missing!
Ah, well, it's all good fun. That this is sometimes esteemed a classic work is a bit of a head-scratcher. I like a dirty story as well as the next guy and few are the novels for adults that don't contain at least some sexual content; I would miss it if it were cut from them. But this is, as I said, your run-of-the-mill dirty book and not much more than that.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A Non-Comprehensive list of things this book made me hate:
1. Men
2. The American Education System
3. Sex
4. The English Language
1. Men
2. The American Education System
3. Sex
4. The English Language
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content
This is the first pornographic novel of its kind and ended up with the author being put in prison. Crazy! I am not generally a smut reader and this is old fashioned smut that makes me as a reader feel very awkward. Male genitals are referred to as machine, shaft, monster every word you can imagine. This book is kinky old fashioned porn. Only not rating it 1 star because it's not written badly it's just uncomfortable and not my taste.
Fun exploration into the life of an early 19th century prostitute in London
Merged review:
Fun exploration into the life of an early 19th century prostitute in London
Merged review:
Fun exploration into the life of an early 19th century prostitute in London
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I won't talk about the graphic sex scene and especially the size of penises descripted in the book by female perspective. (That's her fantasy. I believe most women frequently fantasize about huge size when it comes to penises. I can't deny that.)
It's somewhere between porn and erotic. Of course, the story told us about the female sexual pleasure exploration (yes, pleasure, not love). The flow of the story was boring. However, I like the ending. There's nothing wrong with losing virginity before married.
It's somewhere between porn and erotic. Of course, the story told us about the female sexual pleasure exploration (yes, pleasure, not love). The flow of the story was boring. However, I like the ending. There's nothing wrong with losing virginity before married.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Well this turned out to be somewhat more graphic and sexually charged than I expected, which at first made for a great story and a very interesting read. But then it started to get a little repetitive as Fanny moves from one man to another, using her sexuality (and little else) to gain their trust and support. That aside, she does still manage to keep a certain level of independence, particularly given the social norms of the era and how these dictate the direction her life goes. Not to mention the descriptive and inventive language used, particularly the many and varied words used for the male member.
this book has no business being as funny as it is
it’s a metaphor, see
a historical reminder that you’ve never done anything original in bed
it’s a metaphor, see
a historical reminder that you’ve never done anything original in bed
It's good to know trashy erotic literature has a pedigree as old as any other genre.