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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
Ik ga stoppen met mezelf te pijnigen om dit boek uit te lezen. Ik snap dat dit in haar tijdsgeest en door een vrouw geschreven een belangrijk boek is geweest, de 50 shades of grey van de jaren 40 maar de gruwelijke en bizarre aard van de seks is niets voor mij. De schrijfstijl verveelt me. Nou neej
anais is my one and only re: erotica but frankly some of these commissions were out of pocket and WHY did this edition open with one of the worst ones!!!! if you can skip that one there’s some fun ones in here
Some stories do include some very disturbing scenes but some others are very sensible and captivating. I’d say that the accessible yet, funnily enough, sophisticated and poetic writing lead me to really enjoy reading this book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
The opening story slaps you in the face and challenges you if you aren’t well aquatinted with Nin’s work, and the taboos (lightly put) only grow as you read on. However, it all creates a rhythm that you grow to acknowledge and even appreciate by the end of it (I know I did, and I typically avoid erotica all together).
One of the most primal books I think I’ve read in recent years.
A wicked display of human nature.
A passage that stuck with me for some reason:
-
One of the most primal books I think I’ve read in recent years.
A wicked display of human nature.
A passage that stuck with me for some reason:
-
“He planned his moves beforehand with the help of astrology; he often met with the marvellous; he had a gift for evoking it. But no sooner had the marvellous befallen him than he grasped it with the violence of a man who was not sure of having seen it, lived it; and who longed to make it real.”
This work explores themes of sexuality, desire, and the complexities of human relationships. Nin's writing is known for its lyrical style and deep introspection, allowing her to portray the intimate lives of her characters with sensitivity, creating a rich tapestry of eroticism that goes beyond mere excitement. Nin gives each story a sense of authenticity and emotional depth, making them more than just erotic tales. Her characters, often women dealing with their desires and societal pressures, are well-developed, revealing the complexities of their inner lives.
A notable feature of Nin's writing is her skill in blending sensuality with poetic expression. The imagery she creates is vivid and engaging, allowing readers to fully experience the emotional journeys of her characters. Each story goes beyond physical encounters, diving into the psychological and emotional layers that accompany those moments. Nin's prose captures the mix of love, longing, and vulnerability, making even the most explicit scenes feel meaningful rather than excessive.
Themes of freedom and self-exploration run throughout the collection. Nin's characters often face societal expectations, and their paths toward accepting their sexuality are portrayed with subtlety and elegance. The stories challenge traditional views of femininity and desire, celebrating the complexity of women's experiences in a male-dominated society.
A notable feature of Nin's writing is her skill in blending sensuality with poetic expression. The imagery she creates is vivid and engaging, allowing readers to fully experience the emotional journeys of her characters. Each story goes beyond physical encounters, diving into the psychological and emotional layers that accompany those moments. Nin's prose captures the mix of love, longing, and vulnerability, making even the most explicit scenes feel meaningful rather than excessive.
Themes of freedom and self-exploration run throughout the collection. Nin's characters often face societal expectations, and their paths toward accepting their sexuality are portrayed with subtlety and elegance. The stories challenge traditional views of femininity and desire, celebrating the complexity of women's experiences in a male-dominated society.
Reading this book is like going into the prostitutes' tent at a dirty, haggard traveling circus; it's grimy and grotesque, but you want to see it all the same.
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Tbf, the author's note in the beginning was like, "hey, I got paid per word to write erotica for an old man which helped paid the bills and put food on the table." With that in mind, I can look at these characters in the short stories from afar and go, "Damn. Y'all see this shit? Anyway..."
Very dated way of speaking about sexuality, race, consent, etc. Would not rec to anyone in my life. Unless you're into that and in that case, we should discuss the book. Def not for the faint-hearted. Wonder how much is the author and how much is the author pandering for the audience. Prose is what kept me reading. Sometimes coy in what she's writing, sometimes outright "yeh he stuck in her and it hurt. And then she came for some reason?" Lol but a fascinating look at what life used to be like way back when. Read enough modern sex scenes to bore of them almost immediately so reading this was quite captivating. Had necrophilia too since it's not in the content warning
Very dated way of speaking about sexuality, race, consent, etc. Would not rec to anyone in my life. Unless you're into that and in that case, we should discuss the book. Def not for the faint-hearted. Wonder how much is the author and how much is the author pandering for the audience. Prose is what kept me reading. Sometimes coy in what she's writing, sometimes outright "yeh he stuck in her and it hurt. And then she came for some reason?" Lol but a fascinating look at what life used to be like way back when. Read enough modern sex scenes to bore of them almost immediately so reading this was quite captivating. Had necrophilia too since it's not in the content warning
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Classism
challenging
dark
slow-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
Erotica seems to be all the rage nowadays. We are treated to a plethora of everything from A Court of Thorns and Roses, shapeshifter romantasy and BDSM edge play like never before. What previous decades discarded as shallow romance novels catering to bored house wives have now taken a step into the mainstream market, and despite some people adamantly maintaining that it’s just silly stories, is now a force to be reckoned with.
However, writing erotica is an art. To hit the right blend of desire and story can be likened to walking on a tight rope. It is so very easy to fall into the trap of focusing too much on what is happening, thus forgetting the sensations of the mind and soul. On the other hand, you can just as easily end up focusing on describing how the characters react to what is happening and end up writing a bunch of ’ooooh’s and ’aaah’s, which take away from the sensibilities of the story. Anaïs Nin is, of course, joyously skipping along this tightrope, masterfully crafting complex characters as well as thrilling stories that explores paraphiliac taboos of both her own age and ours. I do have to stress that even well written and intriguing, it is still and acquired taste. If you come to this book seeking smut you might end up disappointed. Or not, I don’t kink shame.
One of the most crucial aspects of Nin’s erotic world is that it is one where the desperate hunger for desire infuses the characters’ every move and thought. Bodies melt together, burn and yearn for the moment where individuality is dissolved and transcends into something more; into a collective being in perfect harmony. I have no doubt that Nin was well acquainted with the works of her contemporary Georges Bataille, and he with her, and I think that their point of departure in terms of eroticism is a very similar one.
The Delta of Venus offers up a veritable encyclopedia of sexuality and paraphilia. Everyone is represented, flaws and all, without critical scrutiny or abject horror. Although her choice of words are sometimes obsolete in the modern tongue, the unconditional celebration of people is not. As readers, we cannot help but smile at the diverse representation within these pages.
Furthermore, I am delighted to see how Nin’s stories often are driven with a female gaze. The protagonists are often women who have managed to cast off the burden of chastity and modesty in order to explore their sexuality in a myriad of ways. I get giddy when I encounter quotes such as:
”For the first time, the hunger that had been on the surface of her skin like an irritation, retreated into a deeper part of her body. It retreated and accumulated, and became a core of fire that waited to be exploited…”
The individual stories themselves vary in quality for me, but almost all of them offer food for thought. I personally would’ve loved a little more of her more theoretical side, like in the preface, but I did enjoy that she threw her thoughts on desire and erotica into her tales with abandon. Graphic depictions of coupling blends seamlessly with more abstract musings of desire and lust. I did in particular enjoy the adventures of Elena, but the last story is the one that stays with me the most. Maybe it hits a little close to home at the date of writing this, when it feels like the world is about to erupt into a world of chaos and despair. In the story of Marcel, taking place in the early days of WWII, human lust, playfulness and desire prevails in the face of every threat of violence, because they recognize each other’s essence and realize that they are two sides of the same coin.
The characters flow in and out of darkness, creating a tantalizing game out of the mandatory blackouts because what else can you do when the world is crumbling around you with restrictions in tow?
However, I cannot write a review of this book without touching upon the fact that some of these stories explore themes that are questionable at best, and downright provoking at worst. I find her writing on such themes as gender identity and fluidity interesting. A lot of her terms are now obsolete as our understanding and discourse of these matters have progressed forward, but her dealings with subjects such as p*dophilia and necr*philia are still taboos that we as a society deem as forbidden, and justly so. But why has Nin included these stories? I’ve been returning to this question throughout my read, and after finishing. I must confess that I’ve been a bit provoked by it. My reaction at first was to be angry of the fact that they occur alongside stories of homosexuality and gender fluidity where I see parts of myself. How could she? Then again, maybe it’s just my modern mind that gets tangled and want to separate myself so harshly from the more ethically questionable topics in order to cement my sexuality and identity in what can be considered ”normal” and ”okay”. At the time of writing the stories included in the Delta of Venus, there were not only implicit codes of conduct to adhere to, but outright judicial ramifications for those who sought same sex attraction or parafiliac desires. There were not necessarily any distinction between homosexuality, p*dophilia or fetishism. They were all located outside of the realm of normalcy, and the only reason we make a distinction between them today is because we now have fought for our rights to love and be who we are. I’m not saying that there is no difference between n*crophilia and homosexuality, because I do think that there is, but I have to be aware of the fact that my judgement of this is the amalgamation of my own experiences, social nurturing and desires. Another person in another time in the future might look at this review and call me outrageous for my thoughts. Only the future will tell. What I can say is that Nin’s writing is echoed in works of more contemporary writers who still uses taboo themes to shed light on the lives and struggles for those who deliberately or helplessly find themselves outside of the norm. For example, Samuel R Delany’s novels Hogg or The Mad Man come to mind, as well as J.T LeRoy’s Sarah, to name a few. And as push comes to shove, there will always be people who exist in the margins; whose existence will pose a threat to the established order of things, and I for one will never deny them the right to see themselves represented, seen and voiced in the name of obscenity. I think it’s way more dangerous to cut off parts of oneself to get in line than to provide a space where the taboos can be examined and vented without any consequences of literal harm.
In a world where erotic fiction depicting knotting and alpha/omega dynamics can have room to flourish on the shelves of mainstream bookstores, I think we have a lot to thank Nin for. She walked so we could run.
However, writing erotica is an art. To hit the right blend of desire and story can be likened to walking on a tight rope. It is so very easy to fall into the trap of focusing too much on what is happening, thus forgetting the sensations of the mind and soul. On the other hand, you can just as easily end up focusing on describing how the characters react to what is happening and end up writing a bunch of ’ooooh’s and ’aaah’s, which take away from the sensibilities of the story. Anaïs Nin is, of course, joyously skipping along this tightrope, masterfully crafting complex characters as well as thrilling stories that explores paraphiliac taboos of both her own age and ours. I do have to stress that even well written and intriguing, it is still and acquired taste. If you come to this book seeking smut you might end up disappointed. Or not, I don’t kink shame.
One of the most crucial aspects of Nin’s erotic world is that it is one where the desperate hunger for desire infuses the characters’ every move and thought. Bodies melt together, burn and yearn for the moment where individuality is dissolved and transcends into something more; into a collective being in perfect harmony. I have no doubt that Nin was well acquainted with the works of her contemporary Georges Bataille, and he with her, and I think that their point of departure in terms of eroticism is a very similar one.
The Delta of Venus offers up a veritable encyclopedia of sexuality and paraphilia. Everyone is represented, flaws and all, without critical scrutiny or abject horror. Although her choice of words are sometimes obsolete in the modern tongue, the unconditional celebration of people is not. As readers, we cannot help but smile at the diverse representation within these pages.
Furthermore, I am delighted to see how Nin’s stories often are driven with a female gaze. The protagonists are often women who have managed to cast off the burden of chastity and modesty in order to explore their sexuality in a myriad of ways. I get giddy when I encounter quotes such as:
”For the first time, the hunger that had been on the surface of her skin like an irritation, retreated into a deeper part of her body. It retreated and accumulated, and became a core of fire that waited to be exploited…”
The individual stories themselves vary in quality for me, but almost all of them offer food for thought. I personally would’ve loved a little more of her more theoretical side, like in the preface, but I did enjoy that she threw her thoughts on desire and erotica into her tales with abandon. Graphic depictions of coupling blends seamlessly with more abstract musings of desire and lust. I did in particular enjoy the adventures of Elena, but the last story is the one that stays with me the most. Maybe it hits a little close to home at the date of writing this, when it feels like the world is about to erupt into a world of chaos and despair. In the story of Marcel, taking place in the early days of WWII, human lust, playfulness and desire prevails in the face of every threat of violence, because they recognize each other’s essence and realize that they are two sides of the same coin.
The characters flow in and out of darkness, creating a tantalizing game out of the mandatory blackouts because what else can you do when the world is crumbling around you with restrictions in tow?
However, I cannot write a review of this book without touching upon the fact that some of these stories explore themes that are questionable at best, and downright provoking at worst. I find her writing on such themes as gender identity and fluidity interesting. A lot of her terms are now obsolete as our understanding and discourse of these matters have progressed forward, but her dealings with subjects such as p*dophilia and necr*philia are still taboos that we as a society deem as forbidden, and justly so. But why has Nin included these stories? I’ve been returning to this question throughout my read, and after finishing. I must confess that I’ve been a bit provoked by it. My reaction at first was to be angry of the fact that they occur alongside stories of homosexuality and gender fluidity where I see parts of myself. How could she? Then again, maybe it’s just my modern mind that gets tangled and want to separate myself so harshly from the more ethically questionable topics in order to cement my sexuality and identity in what can be considered ”normal” and ”okay”. At the time of writing the stories included in the Delta of Venus, there were not only implicit codes of conduct to adhere to, but outright judicial ramifications for those who sought same sex attraction or parafiliac desires. There were not necessarily any distinction between homosexuality, p*dophilia or fetishism. They were all located outside of the realm of normalcy, and the only reason we make a distinction between them today is because we now have fought for our rights to love and be who we are. I’m not saying that there is no difference between n*crophilia and homosexuality, because I do think that there is, but I have to be aware of the fact that my judgement of this is the amalgamation of my own experiences, social nurturing and desires. Another person in another time in the future might look at this review and call me outrageous for my thoughts. Only the future will tell. What I can say is that Nin’s writing is echoed in works of more contemporary writers who still uses taboo themes to shed light on the lives and struggles for those who deliberately or helplessly find themselves outside of the norm. For example, Samuel R Delany’s novels Hogg or The Mad Man come to mind, as well as J.T LeRoy’s Sarah, to name a few. And as push comes to shove, there will always be people who exist in the margins; whose existence will pose a threat to the established order of things, and I for one will never deny them the right to see themselves represented, seen and voiced in the name of obscenity. I think it’s way more dangerous to cut off parts of oneself to get in line than to provide a space where the taboos can be examined and vented without any consequences of literal harm.
In a world where erotic fiction depicting knotting and alpha/omega dynamics can have room to flourish on the shelves of mainstream bookstores, I think we have a lot to thank Nin for. She walked so we could run.