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Sleeping Beauty
The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy was my first literary BDSM experience and opened the door almost 20 years ago to recognizing my inner kink. I have read them three times, and am getting ready to go again because I discovered that she released a fourth in the series this April.
From Amazon’s description:
In 1983, before E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey and Sylvia Day’s Bared to You, Anne Rice, writing as A.N. Roquelaure, began the first installment of the series that is now considered a forerunner of erotic literature. This boxed set, containing The New York Times bestseller The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty’s Punishment, and Beauty’s Release is a testament to Anne Rice’s irresistible talent. Now in a repackaged edition with a new foreword by the author, Rice’s charged eroticism and magical style is back, connecting old and new readers alike. -
12 Replies
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The other day I was kindly and graciously told about not posting links and I just remembered that I posted a link on this when I wrote it. I am sorry and wanted to edit it out, but can not figure out how to edit it. Again, I apologize!
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Curveys thoughts share …Not for a Newbie …into EROTICA Reading. Well written But, really OUT THERE for me ! I do think its cool to read all kinds of books.. but, this was a NO GO for me. Really , didn’t even get Horney ! LOL!
I LOVED all the Brie Books !
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Awe Curvy! Hey, at least you gave them a try! lol
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Thanks , Miss V ….Im glad I read them …trying something new …..PS I think missy is reading them and LIKING them soon far 🙂
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I did read them and I really liked them. The first one grabbed me and pulled me in and I really liked the idea. I think that really for me it is the relationship between the Dom and his sub which I engage with and there was less of that in this trilogy than in some of the other books I’ve read (I have just devoured the Original Sinners red and white years by Tiffany Reisz but that is another post!) I enjoyed following Beauty’s submission and how it grew and developed and it was interesting how by the last book I had adjusted, along with her, and her treatment seemed less harsh. I think I agree than this may not be for a beginner who is looking for something ‘softer’. If you like hard then this could be your thing though.
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I read the sample on Amazon. This is very much not for me. Acts of humiliation trigger my anxiety pretty hard, even just reading about fictional characters. The prince parades a very innocent and modest Sleeping Beauty naked in front of her family’s court and subjects. And later ties her wrists over her head to a tavern sign so all the towns folk can gawk at their naked princess. If you enjoy public humiliation and exhibitionism/voyeurism you may like this book.
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These are some of my favorite books and I actually do not like humiliation play. To me, Beauty’s journey is a total transformation story. She goes from being shy and weak (being paraded with her parents consent because they went through the journey themselves at her age, as are ALL young royalty in order to prepare them for their future rule as a king or queen) and she is completely empowered and strong in the end. Her treatment seems harsh in the beginning, but as you read, you understand the dynamic of the “world” Anne Rice has created, and it makes sense to the story. She handles her experience with grace and eventually humility. I don’t believe these were written (in 1983) to actually make anyone “horny”, rather, to open the reader up to an entire world that until recently was mostly unknown and underground. They depict Domination/submission, Sadism/masochism and everything BDSM, in a very raw form with no fluff, no romance…it just is.
As it has been stated, these are not for newbies and yes, they are pretty hard core. If they are not for you, that is perfectly OK, but I have to say that you also cannot form an informed opinion on something in order to encourage or discourage others from only reading the first chapter. -
Veruca – I’m sorry that I offended you. My opinion is formed from a very limited portion of this book, and I agree that doesn’t give me enough information to write a proper review. As I said this is very much not for me, but I didn’t mean all others wouldn’t enjoy it. I am very sensitive to humiliation whether it be my own or others; this is how I would have felt in Sleeping Beauty’s place being put on display as she was. I know there might be others who are sensitive to this same thing in the same way I am and I wanted to make them aware that this was in the book. I know not everyone, nor even most readers, will view Beauty’s treatment as I did; others may see it as a humbling and/or a display of her beauty as the Princes lovely trophy. Reading this small excerpt triggered me to have an anxiety attack and I couldn’t and won’t read the rest of the book or series for that sole reason. My apologies again for being very partial and one sided in my previous post.
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Oh, Beth…I was not offended and if I came across as I did, I apologize to you. You are entitled to your feelings and opinion just as everyone else is. I am sorry you had such a negative reaction and I understand anxiety.
Smooches,
V-
Thanks V, I really appreciate you understanding.
Smiles,
Beth
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One thing about literature is that it is subjective. It would be hard to find a book that we all feel the same about and that is the beauty of sharing ideas and opinions on it as we can learn by listening to how others have interpreted things. Personally I felt the book was interesting in terms of its idea in putting a bdsm perspective on a traditional fairytale. To be honest the original version was probably more macabre than the Anne Rice version and far from the family friendly Disney story we tell our children. (In the original she is raped by the King whilst in her long sleep and wakes when one of the twins she gives birth to sucks her finger – no happy ending here!) I think that it is important to see it as what it is too: fiction. I don’t think any of it is meant to be realistic in the literal sense. It is good to try different styles and types of writing and find what you like and what suits. What is seen as humiliation will also vary from person to person too and on the right level is probably present in every D/s relationship. I love the way my Sir treats me and the things he says and asks me to do but I know that some of my vanilla friends would be shocked that I would allow myself to be treated in a way which they would view as humiliating and degrading. The Sleeping Beauty trilogy does explore a more extreme interpretation of bdsm than some but as with the type of relationship itself, there is a spectrum. We all have our limits and preferences and I guess the literature we choose is really no exception. I also think that what we like to read may not be what we like to do. For many of is it is about learning and escapism and pleasure. Imdo think it is great to find a book which people have a strong reaction to though as that makes for interesting discussion and often this in turn will lead to others reading to make up their own mind or find out what the fuss is about.
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I liked the general idea of the use of a fairy tale with such an adult twist. Some of the concepts in the book were certainly out there but it was interesting to see different things brought out than what some erotica uses.
I did not like the way the story was written. I found it very repetitive in word use and concepts were just done over and over. There was no real underlying story and real character depth. The characters existed for kinky sex as did the very unrealistic world.
Overall, I read them but they are not very high on my lists of enjoyable reads.
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