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nikolai_k's review
4.0
♪ Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girl child in the dark
Comes in bells, your servant, don't forsake him
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart ♪
Whiplash girl child in the dark
Comes in bells, your servant, don't forsake him
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart ♪
bibliophile_37's review against another edition
2.0
Anyone who knows me, knows I enjoy a healthy measure of smut in my reading. One glance at my bookshelves containing volumes of the Marquis de Sade’s work will confirms this. Having wanted to read Venus in Furs for a few years I decided now, as a quick read it would be perfect. How wrong I was. For its time (1870) I can imagine why this book was possibly deemed as shocking and deeply immoral however, I found it uncomfortable yet well written.
The story is framed around Severin, a young Galician nobleman who dreams of speaking to the goddess Venus about love while she wears furs. Severin is fascinated by cruel women and equally fascinated by Wanda Von Dunajew (a name I felt never quite flowed in the story). Severin’s idolation of Wanda leads him to entreat her to use him as a slave and he encourages her progressively degrading treatment of him. Initially Wanda does not understand why he requests such treatment. After indulging his requests, she shows a fairly instant liking for the cruelty she is allowed to inflict whilst showing measurable disdain to Severin for allowing her to treat him in this way.
Severin describes his desire to be treated with such cruelty as suprasensuality. Although he is clearly gratified by this treatment at the beginning of the novella, he becomes increasingly hurt and miserable by Wanda’s cruelty to him. The crisis point of the story comes when Wanda wishes to submit to another man, a humiliating blow to Severin whose fondness for women who show him the whip is ultimately broken by Wanda’s rejection of him.
Utterly uncomfortable and distressing to read, I’m still deciding whether or not I actually liked it. I am glad to have read it as it’s a classic but I definitely expected a less disappointing ending.
The story is framed around Severin, a young Galician nobleman who dreams of speaking to the goddess Venus about love while she wears furs. Severin is fascinated by cruel women and equally fascinated by Wanda Von Dunajew (a name I felt never quite flowed in the story). Severin’s idolation of Wanda leads him to entreat her to use him as a slave and he encourages her progressively degrading treatment of him. Initially Wanda does not understand why he requests such treatment. After indulging his requests, she shows a fairly instant liking for the cruelty she is allowed to inflict whilst showing measurable disdain to Severin for allowing her to treat him in this way.
Severin describes his desire to be treated with such cruelty as suprasensuality. Although he is clearly gratified by this treatment at the beginning of the novella, he becomes increasingly hurt and miserable by Wanda’s cruelty to him. The crisis point of the story comes when Wanda wishes to submit to another man, a humiliating blow to Severin whose fondness for women who show him the whip is ultimately broken by Wanda’s rejection of him.
Utterly uncomfortable and distressing to read, I’m still deciding whether or not I actually liked it. I am glad to have read it as it’s a classic but I definitely expected a less disappointing ending.
romazizza's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25
dukegregory's review
3.0
Totally different from Sade, but also Sade without the heft of provocation nor the chaotic brutality. So less fun than Sade.
arborapollonis's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Most of the abuse is consentual, it isn't only at the final confrontationmarua's review
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
thekaitlinreads's review
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5