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2.61 AVERAGE
2.61 AVERAGE
I dislike this book to an amount that's more disturbing than the book itself. I am not at all a weakling when it comes to gore and disgusting and morally wrong sexual acts in books, but this book was hard to read simply because it was repetitive and the whole time I was hyperaware this was written by a man. This book is a peak example of books you know are written by men based on writing, someone really has to take away that guy's quill. The writing itself is fine, the author does have a decent writing style and can describe things in EXTREME detail, but the narrative itself is just a gross horny man's wet dreams. This book is the definition of shock value, there is truly nothing of sustenance in it his dislike of religion is apparent but beyond that, the point he was trying to make escapes me. Maybe the point was shock value but it's incompleteness and eventual repetitiveness just make him look goofy, like a teenage boy writing gross shit in his diary.
Did not finish; could not finish.
Um. It turns out Googling, "French lit late 18th century" because I just finished Perfume (set in pre-Revolution France) and choosing Marquis de Sade's most popular work because it apparently influenced Simone de Beauvoir (who I also just read for the first time) was not a very good idea!
I've read some disturbing things for the sake of being a well-rounded horror fan, but this was really fucking disturbing. I knew of Marquis de Sade and thought I knew what he was all about, but I didn't know he was quite this Libertine. As I started the book, I for sure thought it was some exaggerated "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" style rewrite to appeal to a... certain audience. Nope! My bad!
I knew his work was about sexual liberation and rebellion against authority and gender. And it wasn't not those things, but the total power fantasy wet dream negated all of the would-be positives for me. And, look, what people do behind closed doors is none of my business. Have your fun! But the violence (a euphemism) toward underage kids is simply too much for me.
I understand that De Sade wrote this (at least in part, I think/hope) as social satire. In that, he succeeds 100%. The rest is really not for me, though I do believe he achieved his ultimate goal — rebellion — in the only way he knew how to do it.
I don't recommend this unless you really know what you're getting yourself into. However, I'm very interested in reading a biography of Marquis de Sade now — a bio of the brain that came up with this seems like a fascinating read.
Um. It turns out Googling, "French lit late 18th century" because I just finished Perfume (set in pre-Revolution France) and choosing Marquis de Sade's most popular work because it apparently influenced Simone de Beauvoir (who I also just read for the first time) was not a very good idea!
I've read some disturbing things for the sake of being a well-rounded horror fan, but this was really fucking disturbing. I knew of Marquis de Sade and thought I knew what he was all about, but I didn't know he was quite this Libertine. As I started the book, I for sure thought it was some exaggerated "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" style rewrite to appeal to a... certain audience. Nope! My bad!
I knew his work was about sexual liberation and rebellion against authority and gender. And it wasn't not those things, but the total power fantasy wet dream negated all of the would-be positives for me. And, look, what people do behind closed doors is none of my business. Have your fun! But the violence (a euphemism) toward underage kids is simply too much for me.
I understand that De Sade wrote this (at least in part, I think/hope) as social satire. In that, he succeeds 100%. The rest is really not for me, though I do believe he achieved his ultimate goal — rebellion — in the only way he knew how to do it.
I don't recommend this unless you really know what you're getting yourself into. However, I'm very interested in reading a biography of Marquis de Sade now — a bio of the brain that came up with this seems like a fascinating read.
That he wrote is important no my favourite author I find his style self indulgent but then that is the point.Also look for;Mountfield D Illustrated Marquis de Sade: Justine and Juliette Prints Liber 1984
That he wrote is important no my favourite author I find his style self indulgent but then that is the point.Also look for;Mountfield D Illustrated Marquis de Sade: Justine and Juliette Prints Liber 1984
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood
VOM
Regardless of any potential benefit of the doubt (discussed below), this book is misogynistic, misanthropic, and I would have concerns about anyone who found it erotic. There is no consent of any kind to be found anywhere. Thus, no safe sane consensual (because it was neither safe, sane, nor consensual).
For the part of the book that de Sade actually fleshed out, he is consumed with anal and scat, in the most tedious and disgusting way. The second part of the book is not fleshed out, because de Sade ran out of paper in prison and lost the manuscript during the storming of the Bastille. It was not found until the 1900s, thus, no eyes were laid on it in the 1800s.
One point de Sade raised is that there is great pleasure in feeling yourself above someone else's discomfort or pain. In a way, I guess the book is an investigation of this, and "libertinage" where libertinage is doing what you want without any regard at all for others. If one believed that de Sade were illustrating the dangers of libertinage, then one could at least regard it as a dystopian tale, but even so that would not excuse this book. However, I don't think that is what de Sade was illustrating. I may revise this opinion after Justine; we shall see.
I don't believe in banning books. But nevertheless, this book has no redemptive value whatsoever.
Regardless of any potential benefit of the doubt (discussed below), this book is misogynistic, misanthropic, and I would have concerns about anyone who found it erotic. There is no consent of any kind to be found anywhere. Thus, no safe sane consensual (because it was neither safe, sane, nor consensual).
For the part of the book that de Sade actually fleshed out, he is consumed with anal and scat, in the most tedious and disgusting way. The second part of the book is not fleshed out, because de Sade ran out of paper in prison and lost the manuscript during the storming of the Bastille. It was not found until the 1900s, thus, no eyes were laid on it in the 1800s.
One point de Sade raised is that there is great pleasure in feeling yourself above someone else's discomfort or pain. In a way, I guess the book is an investigation of this, and "libertinage" where libertinage is doing what you want without any regard at all for others. If one believed that de Sade were illustrating the dangers of libertinage, then one could at least regard it as a dystopian tale, but even so that would not excuse this book. However, I don't think that is what de Sade was illustrating. I may revise this opinion after Justine; we shall see.
I don't believe in banning books. But nevertheless, this book has no redemptive value whatsoever.
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have decided to read this book for Halloween, hoping to be disgusted, horrified, and generally made uncomfortable. I was not dissapointed.
This is the most vile piece of media I have ever come across, it flawlessly portrays human depravity and I dread how I would have reacted had it been fully finished. What I consider even worse is the possibility that, somewhere in our world, the premise of this book is being played out.
It has some interesting musings on the nature of virtue and vice, which are unfortunately not explored as much as I would have liked.
This is the most vile piece of media I have ever come across, it flawlessly portrays human depravity and I dread how I would have reacted had it been fully finished. What I consider even worse is the possibility that, somewhere in our world, the premise of this book is being played out.
It has some interesting musings on the nature of virtue and vice, which are unfortunately not explored as much as I would have liked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
I think 30 days of Sodom would have sufficed
challenging