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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
Banned book list selection. This follows the main character’s choice to be enslaved by the woman he loves. While he enjoys this relationship at first, she ultimately pushes the bounds of his fantasy.
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide attempt
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was actually hilarious in such an absurd way. Like seriously imagine having an entire, very popular, kink/fetish category named after you. And I honestly have never thought about how masochism got its name, and its crazy that it came from a guy in the 1800s.
I also absolutely loved the writing in this book. Lots of classics feel hard to read and comprehend, but this one wasn't at all. I also appreciate that it wasn't too long. I liked the fast pace. Lots of classics go on and on and spend pages talking about 1 thing, but this book didn't do that. I just enjoyed how dysfunctional the relationship was. It was kind of unclear how much Wanda was actually into the master/slave dynamic, or if she was just pretending for Severin's benefit. But I guess this doesn't actually matter all that much.
A random thought that I had was that I loved how Severin calls Venus "divinity" and "goddess of love".
But the thing that stood out to me the most in this book was the childhood origins of Severin's fetish. When he was an adolescent, his aunt was really mean to him, but then tied him up and whipped him. And even though in this case, it is totally child abuse, it connected with sexual pleasure in his developing mind, and eventually turned into an adult fantasy/fetish. And despite this book being written before psychology was even a field of study, this actually fits with what we know about many kinks/fetishes. Exposure to certain content as a preteen/teenager (especially with boys) can lead to that content becoming connected with sexual pleasure in the mind.
Overall a really interesting book.
Read from the BYU library.
I also absolutely loved the writing in this book. Lots of classics feel hard to read and comprehend, but this one wasn't at all. I also appreciate that it wasn't too long. I liked the fast pace. Lots of classics go on and on and spend pages talking about 1 thing, but this book didn't do that. I just enjoyed how dysfunctional the relationship was. It was kind of unclear how much Wanda was actually into the master/slave dynamic, or if she was just pretending for Severin's benefit. But I guess this doesn't actually matter all that much.
A random thought that I had was that I loved how Severin calls Venus "divinity" and "goddess of love".
But the thing that stood out to me the most in this book was the childhood origins of Severin's fetish. When he was an adolescent, his aunt was really mean to him, but then tied him up and whipped him. And even though in this case, it is totally child abuse, it connected with sexual pleasure in his developing mind, and eventually turned into an adult fantasy/fetish. And despite this book being written before psychology was even a field of study, this actually fits with what we know about many kinks/fetishes. Exposure to certain content as a preteen/teenager (especially with boys) can lead to that content becoming connected with sexual pleasure in the mind.
Overall a really interesting book.
Read from the BYU library.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Wonderful book, You could read it as a fictional play on the master-slave dialectic by Hegel, an idea which is introduced with the first appearance of the sadistic antagonist of the novel, Wanda. A great classical read with an interesting reception through literature, philosophy and psychological assessment.
Popular in the sixties, the content was the inspiration of the eponymous song of The Velvet Underground (1967) here cited as such.
Venus in furs
Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girl child in the dark
Comes in bells, your servant, don't forsake him
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart
Downy sins of streetlight fancies
Chase the costumes she shall wear
Ermine furs adorn the imperious
Severin, Severin awaits you there
I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears
Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather
Shiny leather in the dark
Tongue of thongs, the belt that does await you
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart
Severin, Severin, speak so slightly
Severin, down on your bended knee
Taste the whip, in love not given lightly
Taste the whip, now bleed for me
I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears
Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girl child in the dark
Severin, your servant comes in bells, please don't forsake him
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart
Popular in the sixties, the content was the inspiration of the eponymous song of The Velvet Underground (1967) here cited as such.
Venus in furs
Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girl child in the dark
Comes in bells, your servant, don't forsake him
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart
Downy sins of streetlight fancies
Chase the costumes she shall wear
Ermine furs adorn the imperious
Severin, Severin awaits you there
I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears
Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather
Shiny leather in the dark
Tongue of thongs, the belt that does await you
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart
Severin, Severin, speak so slightly
Severin, down on your bended knee
Taste the whip, in love not given lightly
Taste the whip, now bleed for me
I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears
Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girl child in the dark
Severin, your servant comes in bells, please don't forsake him
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart
funny
i love misogny i love the objectification of women <33. closeted bisexual man learns nothing when he was soooo close to understanding something <3333
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A provocative read that I would highly recommend. The taboo nature surrounding the fantasies of the main character, Severin, and the execution of these fantasies help to build a dark atmosphere that hangs over the story as it progresses. At times, there are moments of both confusion and heartbreak that make you question the characters’ sanity. Ultimately, this is not a book where you strongly like the main characters, but nonetheless, I found it very interesting and enjoyed it more than anticipated given its premise.
2,5/5 ⭐️
Tecnicamente deveria ter lido esse livro aos poucos pois era uma leitura conjunta com um amigo meu, mas não dei conta.... A cada pagina eu so consegui pensar "o que que eu to lendo????" e simplesmente não conseguia largar ate entender onde essa historia estava indo.
Eu tenho opiniões meio divergentes sobre esse livro, pois ao mesmo tempo que gostei de ler sobre a dinâmica dos personagens me entediei bastante com a repetitividade do livro. Por mais ou menos 200 paginas os personagens tem o mesmo dialogo, com algumas pequenas modificações, sem de fato a chegar a lugar nenhum. Isso se repete ate quase o final do livro, momento o qual um terceiro personagem é introduzido e a dinâmica do livro se altera um pouco.
Apesar dessa repetição, a escrita do livro é bem tranquila de entender e tem frases bastante interessantes e bonitas para marcar haha.
Em conclusão, achei a experiência de leitura interessante. Não é uma história ou um tipo de livro que estou acostumada a ler, mas valeu a experiência.
Tecnicamente deveria ter lido esse livro aos poucos pois era uma leitura conjunta com um amigo meu, mas não dei conta.... A cada pagina eu so consegui pensar "o que que eu to lendo????" e simplesmente não conseguia largar ate entender onde essa historia estava indo.
Eu tenho opiniões meio divergentes sobre esse livro, pois ao mesmo tempo que gostei de ler sobre a dinâmica dos personagens me entediei bastante com a repetitividade do livro. Por mais ou menos 200 paginas os personagens tem o mesmo dialogo, com algumas pequenas modificações, sem de fato a chegar a lugar nenhum. Isso se repete ate quase o final do livro, momento o qual um terceiro personagem é introduzido e a dinâmica do livro se altera um pouco.
Apesar dessa repetição, a escrita do livro é bem tranquila de entender e tem frases bastante interessantes e bonitas para marcar haha.
Em conclusão, achei a experiência de leitura interessante. Não é uma história ou um tipo de livro que estou acostumada a ler, mas valeu a experiência.