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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hot, dark, fucked up. hated everyone at the end of the book, but enjoyed the ride.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism
Minor: Antisemitism
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
HOLY SHIT I DEVOUREDTHIS LIFE IS WORTH LIVINGGGGG
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
this is mostly an attempted commentary about gender roles, combined with very weird mix of "dont do bdsm" and "the author thinks thats hot though". there was a bit at the end where post-wanda severin says that men and women cant have an equal relationship until theyre equal in all societal things too, which is interesting for a book this old, but it doesnt really go anywhere with that except "and thats why you need to hit your wife". idk i think this is interesting to read as a window into this time but as a book in itself it was kind of a chore to get through
reflective
medium-paced
While I don't share the character's obsession with fur (which I presume represents unabashed luxury), I understand his longing for and worship of a human goddess, who he slavishly longs to serve. It is an arrangement that suits them both for a while, but she proves to be more committed to the fantasy and reality than him.
My annoyance with him is that when he obtains exactly what he has sought for (so far as he goes), and she is all he has hoped for and more, he then finds himself unequal to his part of the Faustian bargain. At least he makes it clear he is the one to blame for not being equal to his ideals, but I think it would have been a more interesting ending if he had fought through his internal conflicts and confusion and we ultimately see where that led him.
I didn't realise when I began reading (though began to expect about half way through) that this was based on the authors own story. I imagine if it had been written by the woman in that arrangement that it would have read quite differently in places, especially in it's concluding passages.
My annoyance with him is that when he obtains exactly what he has sought for (so far as he goes), and she is all he has hoped for and more, he then finds himself unequal to his part of the Faustian bargain. At least he makes it clear he is the one to blame for not being equal to his ideals, but I think it would have been a more interesting ending if he had fought through his internal conflicts and confusion and we ultimately see where that led him.
I didn't realise when I began reading (though began to expect about half way through) that this was based on the authors own story. I imagine if it had been written by the woman in that arrangement that it would have read quite differently in places, especially in it's concluding passages.
now, this is interesting.
as usual, i tackled the work first, foreword second - which, i guess, allowed me to disengage with the obvious, most prominent theme of sexual pathology and appreciate this main component of the novel only after reading the foreword, along with the author's fascination with the eastern european slave culture enabled by feudal surfdom and his later admiration for jakub szela (apparently they even hung out at sacher-masoch's estate so there's that). so, apart from its influence on such as the works of kafka, schulz, or that classic velvet underground song, and being the start point of a conversation on the pathological condition of masochism, upon reading it without all that in mind, the book surprisingly struck me as oddly feminist?
the dynamic between our main characters in my mind's eye became an extreme hyperbole of men notoriously overpowering women, just that here the roles are reversed. i clang onto the parts which delved into the power of femininity (mind you, here highly exaggerated) and the dialogue near the end, where asked about the moral of this fantastical, strange, inexplicit but definitely perversive exploration, severin mentions: "the moral is that woman, as nature created her and as she is currently reared by man, is his enemy [..] but never his companion. she will be able to become his companion only when she has the same rights as he, when she is his equal in education and work".
let me be clear, i don't find the aspect of the protagonist "being cured" and then steering towards this sentiment believable whatsoever. nonetheless, it is there, and it's interesting to look at the piece through this lense of power imbalance on a different basis than just that of seeking/providing pleasure in pain.
also there's a multitude of laugh out loud funny moments throughout which made it pretttty fun
trololololo i dont think any of this blabber is sensical or coherent but i hope you can see what im getting at trolololololo
as usual, i tackled the work first, foreword second - which, i guess, allowed me to disengage with the obvious, most prominent theme of sexual pathology and appreciate this main component of the novel only after reading the foreword, along with the author's fascination with the eastern european slave culture enabled by feudal surfdom and his later admiration for jakub szela (apparently they even hung out at sacher-masoch's estate so there's that). so, apart from its influence on such as the works of kafka, schulz, or that classic velvet underground song, and being the start point of a conversation on the pathological condition of masochism, upon reading it without all that in mind, the book surprisingly struck me as oddly feminist?
the dynamic between our main characters in my mind's eye became an extreme hyperbole of men notoriously overpowering women, just that here the roles are reversed. i clang onto the parts which delved into the power of femininity (mind you, here highly exaggerated) and the dialogue near the end, where asked about the moral of this fantastical, strange, inexplicit but definitely perversive exploration, severin mentions: "the moral is that woman, as nature created her and as she is currently reared by man, is his enemy [..] but never his companion. she will be able to become his companion only when she has the same rights as he, when she is his equal in education and work".
let me be clear, i don't find the aspect of the protagonist "being cured" and then steering towards this sentiment believable whatsoever. nonetheless, it is there, and it's interesting to look at the piece through this lense of power imbalance on a different basis than just that of seeking/providing pleasure in pain.
also there's a multitude of laugh out loud funny moments throughout which made it pretttty fun
trololololo i dont think any of this blabber is sensical or coherent but i hope you can see what im getting at trolololololo
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found it an extremely interesting yet dark book. It was most definitely revolutionary for its time, yet it would be regarded as controversial (yet mild sexually) nowadays most likely.
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence
Moderate: Blood, Suicide attempt
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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
This book was definitely (?) a trailblazer for its time, and rocketed Sacher-Masoch to fame. However, I find some parts of the book extremely repetitive. Additionally, it's quite funny how the main character vacillates between demanding cruelty and in the other breath, rebuffing it. It was a relatively short read, and while it's a fascinating look into how someone would have felt the urges towards what we know as BDSM currently, some of the metatextual narratives struck me as ridiculous