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bookish_skies's review against another edition
dark
fast-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
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
theworstpear's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Racial slurs, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Toxic relationship
versmonesprit's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Jail. Jail for these characters!
If you’re a modern participant of “the scene” reading this book, you will hear sirens going off in your head. To put in contemporary lingo: nothing about this dynamic is SSC or RACK. It is, quite really, just a story of abuse that’s difficult to go through for this exact reason. Masoch himself objected to the term ‘masochism,’ and now I would like to do that too. If anything, this book should’ve suggested the term be used for fur fetish.
And if you’re in it for an erotica, you too will be disappointed. It’s quite boring, as nothing really happens. It’s pretty much just implications, and even the supposedly kinky scenes are cut short.
The writing in the beginning was spectacular. Though the author is very confused about Ancient Greece, going as far as calling Aphrodite exclusively “Venus,” some of the initial thoughts are great as well. Unfortunately, soon enough, the writing lost its lustre, and the story became repetitive.
Both Severin and Wanda are insufferable characters, both so puerile that despite being twice the intended age of the characters, they act comically like Romeo and Juliet with their over-dramatic reactions. At least, hilarity is often intended in the book, so if you’re not as infuriated by these characters as I was, you might have a laugh at them as well.
There was also a lot of misogyny woven into this book, I was surprised how it somewhat ended on a somewhat feminist note, saying that women can only be equal to men once they’ve had equal rights, and equal access to education and work.
If you’re a modern participant of “the scene” reading this book, you will hear sirens going off in your head. To put in contemporary lingo: nothing about this dynamic is SSC or RACK. It is, quite really, just a story of abuse that’s difficult to go through for this exact reason. Masoch himself objected to the term ‘masochism,’ and now I would like to do that too. If anything, this book should’ve suggested the term be used for fur fetish.
And if you’re in it for an erotica, you too will be disappointed. It’s quite boring, as nothing really happens. It’s pretty much just implications, and even the supposedly kinky scenes are cut short.
The writing in the beginning was spectacular. Though the author is very confused about Ancient Greece, going as far as calling Aphrodite exclusively “Venus,” some of the initial thoughts are great as well. Unfortunately, soon enough, the writing lost its lustre, and the story became repetitive.
Both Severin and Wanda are insufferable characters, both so puerile that despite being twice the intended age of the characters, they act comically like Romeo and Juliet with their over-dramatic reactions. At least, hilarity is often intended in the book, so if you’re not as infuriated by these characters as I was, you might have a laugh at them as well.
There was also a lot of misogyny woven into this book, I was surprised how it somewhat ended on a somewhat feminist note, saying that women can only be equal to men once they’ve had equal rights, and equal access to education and work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse
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