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danidep's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ladyyluna's review against another edition
4.0
One of my favorite books from Anne Rice. You truly fall in love with Belinda, as much as Jeremy does, and find yourself obsessed with her, wanting to know where she comes from and how you can keep her. Honestly, by the end of this book, I wanted Belinda, which only goes to show how well Anne Rice can draw you in, with or without your consent.
flyingdebbie's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it! A fun, naughty and daring book by a great author.
mjreutman's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
juanonito's review against another edition
3.0
6/10
Anne Rice.
La prefiero en sagas de seres sobrenaturales (dejando fuera la bella durmiente) que en estos libros 'eróticos' (sin contar la Bella durmiente).
Otra vez los editores indican que se basa de Lolita de Navokov y creo que aunque parten de una primicia similar, en un punto Belinda se aleja tanto de su esencia que se va, se va, se va y la perdemos. Se vuelve una novela romántica más (véase mismo caso que con Hacía el Edén). Y el problema no es que sea romántica, lo puedo aceptar, el problema es que mientan diciendo que es erótico cuando no lo es. Quiza el tema de una relación de una chica de 16 con un hombre de 45 es escándaloso, pero me da rabia porque la formula ya está probada: funcionó con Navokok, pero mi Rice se pierde en su propia historia y la protagonista que pintaba para ser todo, enigmática, maquiavélica, fría, una Madonna o una Monroe se diluye por irse al recurso fácil y rápido del final feliz.
Y es que me encanta la escritura de la autora, me fascina su prosa cargada, que en sus otros libros no es descriptiva por serlo sino que aporta a la alegancia de su texto. Pero es que con Belinda apela al mismo recurso y no va, quizá la parte incial donde nos narra todo en primera persona el protagonista masculino lo puedo soportar pero luego que la voz pasa a la propia Belinda pierde toda la magia, y se desinfla todo porque se llena de descripciones, de contarme cosas que no me importan, y en fin. Ploff se cae.
Pudo ser una gran historia, con una protagonista transgresora, incluso hasta una mujer libertaria de si misma y nada, se quedó en eso, en una pincelada nomas con un exceso de argumento de mas de 300 páginas o más.
Anne Rice.
La prefiero en sagas de seres sobrenaturales (dejando fuera la bella durmiente) que en estos libros 'eróticos' (sin contar la Bella durmiente).
Otra vez los editores indican que se basa de Lolita de Navokov y creo que aunque parten de una primicia similar, en un punto Belinda se aleja tanto de su esencia que se va, se va, se va y la perdemos. Se vuelve una novela romántica más (véase mismo caso que con Hacía el Edén). Y el problema no es que sea romántica, lo puedo aceptar, el problema es que mientan diciendo que es erótico cuando no lo es. Quiza el tema de una relación de una chica de 16 con un hombre de 45 es escándaloso, pero me da rabia porque la formula ya está probada: funcionó con Navokok, pero mi Rice se pierde en su propia historia y la protagonista que pintaba para ser todo, enigmática, maquiavélica, fría, una Madonna o una Monroe se diluye por irse al recurso fácil y rápido del final feliz.
Y es que me encanta la escritura de la autora, me fascina su prosa cargada, que en sus otros libros no es descriptiva por serlo sino que aporta a la alegancia de su texto. Pero es que con Belinda apela al mismo recurso y no va, quizá la parte incial donde nos narra todo en primera persona el protagonista masculino lo puedo soportar pero luego que la voz pasa a la propia Belinda pierde toda la magia, y se desinfla todo porque se llena de descripciones, de contarme cosas que no me importan, y en fin. Ploff se cae.
Pudo ser una gran historia, con una protagonista transgresora, incluso hasta una mujer libertaria de si misma y nada, se quedó en eso, en una pincelada nomas con un exceso de argumento de mas de 300 páginas o más.
debraserrins's review against another edition
3.0
Yeah, it's trash but I wanted a break for my mind.
conchfritters's review against another edition
3.0
yeah, okay, this is pretty terrible, but i like reading about new orleans and clothes. so sue me.
cavalary's review against another edition
4.0
I have to say once again that, for me, a good book must include non-humans, be they elves, vampires, extraterrestrials or whatever else, and/or magic. Or, at least, if it needs to happen in the "real world", have the decency to be placed at least a few centuries ago. I don't want to read a book that depicts things I can see around me. Also, I want a grand scale, the final outcome affecting the entire world, or at least a significant portion of it, not just the lives of a few characters.
Still, I'll have to do what those critics in the book did with Jeremy's paintings and grudgingly say... This book is a masterpiece and I'd highly recommend it to absolutely anyone, despite only giving it four stars; that's for the reasons I explained above.
All of Anne Rice's obsessions are, naturally, present, and her idea of relationships with outrageous age gaps between the two is obviously staring you right in the face. And while I still find something like this, being with someone who could be your (grand)parent/child, utterly disgusting, in this book I didn't mind at all. Of course, I'll ask what would Belinda and Jeremy be doing now, were they to be real? 20 years after the book was written, she'd be 36 and he'd be 65.
But I just said 20 years after the book was written, didn't I? And you know what? It would be accurate to the smallest detail in depicting the general reaction to something like this even now! Disturbing, isn't it?
The only thing not depicted as bad in the book that I found (very) disturbing were the fur coats...
And the sex scenes are just... electric. I heard the ones in "The Witching Hour" were her best but, after reading this, I have to disagree.
I can understand Belinda not wanting to harm Marty, after what they had, though she could, and maybe should, have reconsidered after the attempted rape, but the others... Hit them till they grovel in dirt at your feet! They did the same to you!
Otherwise... 90% of people are rotten to the core and stink to high Heaven, if such a place would exist; "morals" do more harm than good; the legal system, the American one probably more than any other in the Western world, simply sucks; and hiding things from those who are close to you only hurts in the long run... Yeah, I knew that, didn't need a book to remind me. So we're back to my original complaint, which is actually a matter of personal taste and not a complaint about the book itself.
That's it, now I'll go back to feeling like shit... My story doesn't have a happy ending...
Still, I'll have to do what those critics in the book did with Jeremy's paintings and grudgingly say... This book is a masterpiece and I'd highly recommend it to absolutely anyone, despite only giving it four stars; that's for the reasons I explained above.
All of Anne Rice's obsessions are, naturally, present, and her idea of relationships with outrageous age gaps between the two is obviously staring you right in the face. And while I still find something like this, being with someone who could be your (grand)parent/child, utterly disgusting, in this book I didn't mind at all. Of course, I'll ask what would Belinda and Jeremy be doing now, were they to be real? 20 years after the book was written, she'd be 36 and he'd be 65.
But I just said 20 years after the book was written, didn't I? And you know what? It would be accurate to the smallest detail in depicting the general reaction to something like this even now! Disturbing, isn't it?
The only thing not depicted as bad in the book that I found (very) disturbing were the fur coats...
And the sex scenes are just... electric. I heard the ones in "The Witching Hour" were her best but, after reading this, I have to disagree.
Spoiler
But I still won't believe you can get out of such a situation by being just nice to everybody, by not hurting back the ones who tried, and managed, at least to a point, to hurt you. Such an ending did make me say "eh, it's only a book after all".I can understand Belinda not wanting to harm Marty, after what they had, though she could, and maybe should, have reconsidered after the attempted rape, but the others... Hit them till they grovel in dirt at your feet! They did the same to you!
Otherwise... 90% of people are rotten to the core and stink to high Heaven, if such a place would exist; "morals" do more harm than good; the legal system, the American one probably more than any other in the Western world, simply sucks; and hiding things from those who are close to you only hurts in the long run... Yeah, I knew that, didn't need a book to remind me. So we're back to my original complaint, which is actually a matter of personal taste and not a complaint about the book itself.
That's it, now I'll go back to feeling like shit... My story doesn't have a happy ending...