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genrejourneys 's review for:
The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty
by Anne Rice, A.N. Roquelaure
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think that both this book can easily fall out of the realm where most people’s limits are regarding explicit material and that this book tends to attract highly viewed reviews that bemoan it as the most degenerative, unpleasant drivel ever conceived of. I don’t think that’s true. I do think that’s giving Anne Rice more credit than she’s earned.
Sleeping Beauty is not new to sex-based retellings. Rice’s BDSM laced fantasy is a popular one and not without merit. Beauty is awakened not by kiss alone and is taken (“claimed” as the title puts it) by her prince to his kingdom where, under his beautiful and terrible mother’s reign, royals from all over in a tribute in the form of sexual slavery/indentured servitude (they have time limits). Once there Beauty passes from hot person to hot person in increasingly cruel and unusual acts which largely consist of being tied up and spanked. Anyone who does not like coercion, BDSM, a lack of consent, or deliberate cruelty ought to avoid it.
I enjoyed Rice’s prose. She stays completely within the fairytale tone. Magic is real. Beauty is so beautiful all love her. There are what appear to be a never ending amount of princes and princesses.
Rice’s story rises and falls with new highs of shock and long stretches of adjustment. Just when you’ve seen it all, she invents new horrible public spectacles. And like the reader, Beauty can’t help but wonder each time how it escalate further.
Sleeping Beauty is not new to sex-based retellings. Rice’s BDSM laced fantasy is a popular one and not without merit. Beauty is awakened not by kiss alone and is taken (“claimed” as the title puts it) by her prince to his kingdom where, under his beautiful and terrible mother’s reign, royals from all over in a tribute in the form of sexual slavery/indentured servitude (they have time limits). Once there Beauty passes from hot person to hot person in increasingly cruel and unusual acts which largely consist of being tied up and spanked. Anyone who does not like coercion, BDSM, a lack of consent, or deliberate cruelty ought to avoid it.
I enjoyed Rice’s prose. She stays completely within the fairytale tone. Magic is real. Beauty is so beautiful all love her. There are what appear to be a never ending amount of princes and princesses.
Rice’s story rises and falls with new highs of shock and long stretches of adjustment. Just when you’ve seen it all, she invents new horrible public spectacles. And like the reader, Beauty can’t help but wonder each time how it escalate further.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery