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jugglingpup's review against another edition
1.0
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I picked up this book because I expected something like The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, but I was really disappointed. Instead it was an attempt to discuss BDSM intellectually that fell short of capturing any of the conversations that happen in the BDSM community but instead show views of people not in the community. There is the notion that one doesn’t engage in BDSM if one is in love (that seemed to be the main moral of the story), but that is not the case. There is also the idea that only someone psychologically damaged would engage in BDSM, again not so though there are many people with PTSD, MDD, and more that do engage in BDSM.
The plot of the novel was very badly paced. Within a week the two characters had fallen madly in love and were willing to give up everything that they had built for themselves for the other. They even agreed to be married by the end (big spoiler, sorry, but really that was predicable from the first chapter). The fact that they made that big of a jump in a week made the story unbelievable and added to the feeling that the author was trying to make the characters mentally unstable to justify their BDSM leanings.
There was little to no kink in the story despite it taking place partially in a kink paradise. The kinkiest thing that happened was really dangerous, but lasted only a few pages. Anne Rice, and many other authors, fail to recognize the danger of anal sex play. The characters she writes have to undergo anal torture without any form of stretching or lubrication which can rip the anus and cause terrible pain and complications. Yet the scenes that Rice has written there is no mention of preparation for any form of penetration (one scene had a guy that was well endowed involved). This is common for her books and so is the lack of any form of birth control. This is almost as troubling as the attempts to over analyze kink and in the end shame many of those involved in the scene. Though I was happily surprised at how well she knew the lingo (knowing that scenes are called playing), I in the end was sadly surprised at her attempts to explain why people engage in BDSM.
Over all this book was one I regret reading as it was predictable, very un-sexy, and it is very limited in its attempt to be intellectual. Rice even references two of her previous novels as kinky classics! At first I laughed thinking that she was going to outshine herself, but by the end I was so upset that she had the audacity to connect the two works. She also compares BDSM to war. BDSM is often done out of love and trust, war is a very destructive force. I was disturbed by the author saying the BDSM was very similar to war and I very concerned that people believe this notion.
I picked up this book because I expected something like The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, but I was really disappointed. Instead it was an attempt to discuss BDSM intellectually that fell short of capturing any of the conversations that happen in the BDSM community but instead show views of people not in the community. There is the notion that one doesn’t engage in BDSM if one is in love (that seemed to be the main moral of the story), but that is not the case. There is also the idea that only someone psychologically damaged would engage in BDSM, again not so though there are many people with PTSD, MDD, and more that do engage in BDSM.
The plot of the novel was very badly paced. Within a week the two characters had fallen madly in love and were willing to give up everything that they had built for themselves for the other. They even agreed to be married by the end (big spoiler, sorry, but really that was predicable from the first chapter). The fact that they made that big of a jump in a week made the story unbelievable and added to the feeling that the author was trying to make the characters mentally unstable to justify their BDSM leanings.
There was little to no kink in the story despite it taking place partially in a kink paradise. The kinkiest thing that happened was really dangerous, but lasted only a few pages. Anne Rice, and many other authors, fail to recognize the danger of anal sex play. The characters she writes have to undergo anal torture without any form of stretching or lubrication which can rip the anus and cause terrible pain and complications. Yet the scenes that Rice has written there is no mention of preparation for any form of penetration (one scene had a guy that was well endowed involved). This is common for her books and so is the lack of any form of birth control. This is almost as troubling as the attempts to over analyze kink and in the end shame many of those involved in the scene. Though I was happily surprised at how well she knew the lingo (knowing that scenes are called playing), I in the end was sadly surprised at her attempts to explain why people engage in BDSM.
Over all this book was one I regret reading as it was predictable, very un-sexy, and it is very limited in its attempt to be intellectual. Rice even references two of her previous novels as kinky classics! At first I laughed thinking that she was going to outshine herself, but by the end I was so upset that she had the audacity to connect the two works. She also compares BDSM to war. BDSM is often done out of love and trust, war is a very destructive force. I was disturbed by the author saying the BDSM was very similar to war and I very concerned that people believe this notion.
mscheriesyncere's review against another edition
3.0
Thankfully, the book is NOTHING like the movie, which was watered down with stupid comedy. The Rosie O'Donnell, Dan Akroyd, Iman, and whoever played Iman's partner--those characters are nowhere in the story.
I love how Anne creates the Club and its members. The imagery was expected. Predictable. I liked it, though, and I took it for what it was--another vanilla interpretation of BDSM. I still don't like how she implies that BDSM is something that you can just walk away clean from. But I try not to hold that against her.
It's a passable diversion from the outside world, not nearly as elaborate as the Beauty Series. It's not a story that I would want to read twice.
I love how Anne creates the Club and its members. The imagery was expected. Predictable. I liked it, though, and I took it for what it was--another vanilla interpretation of BDSM. I still don't like how she implies that BDSM is something that you can just walk away clean from. But I try not to hold that against her.
It's a passable diversion from the outside world, not nearly as elaborate as the Beauty Series. It's not a story that I would want to read twice.
mjreutman's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I love Anne Rice. She’s my absolute favorite writer and every book I’ve read by her has been 5 stars, but honestly, this one lacked plot and I just did t love it sadly:( It’s still worth the read, but not her best work.
moreau's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
the film is better im ngl i mean im definetely not the target audience for this i was just bored but yeah cant not giggle at erotica personally. did keep me entertained because book sex funny but the characters are pretty boring and unlikable
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
hzapico's review against another edition
2.0
i have never been disappointed in an Ann Rice novel before I was with this one. I was looking forward to reading a novel with a dominatrix in it but I couldn't stand to keep reading when she completely lost all control in the relationship. it was a let down for sure. :/
oldmotherwinter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mandalabunny's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. I've read this twice and it's an interesting book that's beautifully written, but oddly enough it loses steam. Both times I struggled to read the last hundred or so pages. I liked how it was written from the perspectives of both Lisa and Elliot and the Club was interesting but there really wasn't a whole lot going on. Still worth a read if it sound interesting to you.
dreavg's review against another edition
2.0
If you look past where the book is set, this is just a couple trying to figure out how to relate to one another. In that sense, it is an interesting story. If you are put off by sexual content, though not graphic, this is not a book for you.
gitanita's review against another edition
5.0
I've been wanting to re-read this book for yeas now and I finally got my hands on a copy of my own. It took me 24 hours because I devoured it and it was just as good or even better than I remember it. The way Lady Anne describes the sensations and the emotions is wonderful. And through her description of New Orleans you can feel her love for the city and you feel as though you are walking through it just with reading the book. Thanks to Anne Rice, New Orleans has been on my "Places to visit before I'm dead" list for years now.
notthatamber's review against another edition
sad
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? No
1.0