Scan barcode
matissrv's review against another edition
3.0
Šis tas interesanti, bet kopumā tomēr kaut kāds pamatīgs meh šajā erotikas formātā.
redflyingbook's review against another edition
the preface was quite interesting and promising but i stopped at page 4 where there was a very explicit scene involving 10&12 year olds?? no way i'm going through with this bye
ronizzle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
spectracommunist's review against another edition
3.0
The erotic aspects were quite surreal and kaleidoscopic which revolved around animalistic urges, dom-sub relations, etc. which was quite spellbinding. On one hand, much of the short stories revolve around women exploring their sexual fantasies and it describes a rather fresh feminine perspective in erotica. I liked the diversity inclusion with lots of characters from different cultures, sexual orientation, etc.
On the other hand, there are events that normalized rape or so-called ' the something very violent in men' which had no satirical sense whatsoever and hence it was a bit disappointing especially coming out from someone who writes about feminism. However, it is not true for all the stories. Two of the stories portrayed incest as rather unearned and ridiculous.
I refuse to term this book as the quintessential Anaïs Nin and I preferred 'House of Incest' and 'A Spy in the House of Love' better.
P.S. I hated the cover of this edition.
On the other hand, there are events that normalized rape or so-called ' the something very violent in men' which had no satirical sense whatsoever and hence it was a bit disappointing especially coming out from someone who writes about feminism. However, it is not true for all the stories. Two of the stories portrayed incest as rather unearned and ridiculous.
I refuse to term this book as the quintessential Anaïs Nin and I preferred 'House of Incest' and 'A Spy in the House of Love' better.
P.S. I hated the cover of this edition.
cbxtherine's review against another edition
3.0
if you weren’t into women before reading this, you will be after you’ve finished it [speaking from experience]
abbyistrying's review against another edition
Eve needed it back and I cba to chase up a new copy.
lorydory's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
sallysivan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
doggerdog's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
“…We reviled him, because he almost caused us to take vows of chastity, because what he wanted us to exclude was our own aphrodisiac - poetry.”
- Anaïs Nin, December, 1940
Despite being forced to subdue the “language of sex” by her client, as she states in the postscript, Nin’s voice as a sexually embodied woman is still prevalent throughout her stories. Allowing her to often beautifully express the dichotomy of woman’s sensuality: to be loved/worshipped and to be ravished.
These two sides of sensuality can also be divided into gendered categories, with the former largely being represented as a traditionally female perspective in literature (especially in the 1940s). Whereas the latter appeals heavily to men, and has been bastardised within culture as an act that only involves the man taking pleasure, without understanding the nuances of the act that allow women to seek out this form of sex. To be ravished is to be worshipped. To be ravished is to be loved.
In some of these stories, we see Nin be influenced by her client, taking a more male approach to the idea of ravishing women, in a way that is almost tongue and cheek to the women reading. Whilst it may seem undoubtedly erotic and factual to some men reading (particularly contextual men). They want to take from us, that’s the role we serve in sex. Yet Nin still plays with this idea even in these moments, using language to suggest that these women are enjoying this merely because they were worshipped prior to this act. Nin let’s us know that this dichotomy is symbiotic. A woman will not let you ravish her if you do not court her.
- Anaïs Nin, December, 1940
Despite being forced to subdue the “language of sex” by her client, as she states in the postscript, Nin’s voice as a sexually embodied woman is still prevalent throughout her stories. Allowing her to often beautifully express the dichotomy of woman’s sensuality: to be loved/worshipped and to be ravished.
These two sides of sensuality can also be divided into gendered categories, with the former largely being represented as a traditionally female perspective in literature (especially in the 1940s). Whereas the latter appeals heavily to men, and has been bastardised within culture as an act that only involves the man taking pleasure, without understanding the nuances of the act that allow women to seek out this form of sex. To be ravished is to be worshipped. To be ravished is to be loved.
In some of these stories, we see Nin be influenced by her client, taking a more male approach to the idea of ravishing women, in a way that is almost tongue and cheek to the women reading. Whilst it may seem undoubtedly erotic and factual to some men reading (particularly contextual men). They want to take from us, that’s the role we serve in sex. Yet Nin still plays with this idea even in these moments, using language to suggest that these women are enjoying this merely because they were worshipped prior to this act. Nin let’s us know that this dichotomy is symbiotic. A woman will not let you ravish her if you do not court her.