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A review by leland_hw
Nine and a Half Weeks: A Memoir of a Love Affair by Elizabeth McNeill
2.0
I read this (and saw the movie) when I was (most likely) a high school senior. At the time, I found it titillating and erotic. I had a...curiosity concerning BDSM and found the depiction here exciting. Now, however, with the um...popularity of [b:Fifty Shades of Grey|10818853|Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)|E.L. James|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1385207843s/10818853.jpg|15732562], I have found myself looking back at this teeny little book with renewed understanding of the relationship between Elizabeth and John (John Gray, by the way, which makes 50 shades Christian Gray sound even more copycat. Is Christian supposed to be related to John in some way? One wonders). A relationship that is abusive, manipulative and volatile (sound familiar modern readers?) Elizabeth is not empowered by John's attentions, she is largely confused and depressed by them.
I don't want this to sound at all like I'm passing some sort of judgement on BDSM itself. Far from it. I feel that any sort of sexual play between consenting adults is perfectly fine. Done safely and with CONSENT the submissive in BDSM has the real power because he or she can with one word make everything stop. These are things I didn't understand at the tender age of 17.
Spoiler
John pushes and controls Elizabeth until she has an emotional breakdown and then ultimately leaves him to pick up the pieces of her life. Thankfully.I don't want this to sound at all like I'm passing some sort of judgement on BDSM itself. Far from it. I feel that any sort of sexual play between consenting adults is perfectly fine. Done safely and with CONSENT the submissive in BDSM has the real power because he or she can with one word make everything stop. These are things I didn't understand at the tender age of 17.