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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
This was a spicy read
A genuinely enjoyable read for it jumped into multiple short stories, set in different locations and time periods that explored a range of situations often reflected on by situation and circumstance
Sarah J Maas… go make some notes
A genuinely enjoyable read for it jumped into multiple short stories, set in different locations and time periods that explored a range of situations often reflected on by situation and circumstance
Sarah J Maas… go make some notes
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Lesbophobia
Picked this up a few years ago because it was on the 1001 books to read before you die list. Was thoroughly disturbed and still have not been able to forget the stories. Picked it up again because Sorcha had it in her room. Still just as disturbing. However, given the historical context, I suppose it was wonderfully controversial for the time, and probably did cause enough of a fuss to bring about some social change. I hope. Four stars for creativity, sheer twistedness and historical controversy. Writing wasn't terrible either.
2
Very beautifully written stories that are also very nasty and degenerate. Like in a bad way lmao. This is supposed to be erotica yet contained so much gross shit (necrophilia, mutilation of genitals, pedophilia, sadism, etc) that it was actively unsexy and just weird. Don't rly care for ‘kink’ or graphic depictions of sexual abuse/exploitation/deviancy so maybe I was never the target audience. Her writing is beautiful but also kind of clinical and somber, I cannot imagine anyone finding anything remotely titillating about this. She wrote this as a starving artist for money so maybe her living published works were ‘hotter’ or at least less libertine so I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt & try another one of her novels out because I’m sure people like her for a reason
Very beautifully written stories that are also very nasty and degenerate. Like in a bad way lmao. This is supposed to be erotica yet contained so much gross shit (necrophilia, mutilation of genitals, pedophilia, sadism, etc) that it was actively unsexy and just weird. Don't rly care for ‘kink’ or graphic depictions of sexual abuse/exploitation/deviancy so maybe I was never the target audience. Her writing is beautiful but also kind of clinical and somber, I cannot imagine anyone finding anything remotely titillating about this. She wrote this as a starving artist for money so maybe her living published works were ‘hotter’ or at least less libertine so I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt & try another one of her novels out because I’m sure people like her for a reason
“yet he haunted her, and was haunted by her. her image predominated over all women. his poetry was for her, his creations, his inventions, his soul” would’ve gone crazyyy if it wasn’t written about *******
I like to broaden my horizons and this is not exactly my usual reading fare, but I read it for a very funny reason.
I probably won't read more of her work but the writing is great and the audio book narration is excellent.
I probably won't read more of her work but the writing is great and the audio book narration is excellent.
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
TW: SA, CSA, Incest, Bestiality, Racism, Homophobia, Sexism, Outdated Terms for Trans Individuals
I felt desperate with desire to be a woman, to plunge into living.
The first half of Anaïs Nin’s collected erotica, a feast of purple prose, and a glimpse of a model of writing that has largely fallen away. Nin’s chapters serve more as what Anne Rice described as pictures in gilded frames rather than short narratives readers might expect nowadays. Stories end abruptly and often for simple reasons (the love affair ended, the man got bored, just assume it went on like this). Even in the longer chapters or more collected narratives, Story is regulated back stage. Character and Eroticism are the stars.
Some other thoughts:
Strange to glimpse the erotic dreams of over twenty years now. Some are still industry standards (BDSM, Semi-Public Sex), some have fallen out of favor (“The Boarding School” is almost laughably overplayed and socially condemned now).
Purple prose, my life’s joy! Very Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber.
Struck by how frequently women feature as leads and the central problem is an internal barrier to sexual satisfaction. “Lilith” was rather sad to me, a housewife so frustrated in herself and her failure to act according to social standards.
Nin’s introduction talks a lot about the power of poetry for an erotic dream to be successful. Fascinating when combined with the collection overall.
I felt desperate with desire to be a woman, to plunge into living.
The first half of Anaïs Nin’s collected erotica, a feast of purple prose, and a glimpse of a model of writing that has largely fallen away. Nin’s chapters serve more as what Anne Rice described as pictures in gilded frames rather than short narratives readers might expect nowadays. Stories end abruptly and often for simple reasons (the love affair ended, the man got bored, just assume it went on like this). Even in the longer chapters or more collected narratives, Story is regulated back stage. Character and Eroticism are the stars.
Some other thoughts:
Strange to glimpse the erotic dreams of over twenty years now. Some are still industry standards (BDSM, Semi-Public Sex), some have fallen out of favor (“The Boarding School” is almost laughably overplayed and socially condemned now).
Purple prose, my life’s joy! Very Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber.
Struck by how frequently women feature as leads and the central problem is an internal barrier to sexual satisfaction. “Lilith” was rather sad to me, a housewife so frustrated in herself and her failure to act according to social standards.
Nin’s introduction talks a lot about the power of poetry for an erotic dream to be successful. Fascinating when combined with the collection overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
average ruvé moment to read historically significant erotica lol. naturally can feel a bit repetitive as it’s a collection of individual works, take your time with it and enjoy the prose of the legendary anaïs nin. now onto her diaries