With My Body
In 2003 Nikki Gemmell created waves when, writing under the tag 'Anonymous', The Bride Stripped Bare became a literary sensation, with its raw and unflinching depiction of female sexuality. She called it 'a very honest take on sex, from a woman's perspective', and it went on to top bestseller lists around the world.
Now, eight years later, Nikki returns with another tour d...more
Now, eight years later, Nikki returns with another tour d...more
Paperback, 484 pages
Published
October 7th 2011
by Fourth Estate
(first published October 1st 2011)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,969)
Mar 29, 2013
Alicia
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2012-books-read,
2012-reviews
This book is everything that 50 shades is not. It is well written, it's sexy, it's relatable and no one's inner goddess made an appearance.
I know some people had a problem with the age gap between the unnamed main character and Tol. I didn't have a problem, I assumed she was about 16 or 17 (17 according the the back of the book interview) and I didn't figure he was much older than 25. Now I know it still seems odd, but I think it was open to interpretation and overall I really don't think that...more
I know some people had a problem with the age gap between the unnamed main character and Tol. I didn't have a problem, I assumed she was about 16 or 17 (17 according the the back of the book interview) and I didn't figure he was much older than 25. Now I know it still seems odd, but I think it was open to interpretation and overall I really don't think that...more
This book obsessed me from the very first page. I read the full 462 pages in only two days. It is lyrically written, vulnerable, honest, authentic, and almost painful to read in its beauty. I noticed that in the reviews readers tended to hate it or love it. This is the kind of book that brings out strong emotional responses and either you 'get it' or you don't. The descriptions were intense, the language poetic, the characters layered, complicated and messy, and the sex was exquisite. It was so...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
At first glance, the cover of With My Body may seem like an erotica romance but after reading the blurb, I realised there is something far more than just sex and lust, for behind the sensuality this is a story about family, marriage, self-discovery and love.
Written in second person point-of-view, the nameless character is a mother of three and she has what many women want - a husband who is a GP and one who will not let his family down. She is supposed to be happy with her life, but she is not....more
Written in second person point-of-view, the nameless character is a mother of three and she has what many women want - a husband who is a GP and one who will not let his family down. She is supposed to be happy with her life, but she is not....more
The 411 by Maria:
From page one I am completely drawn in by the writing style.
The middle age, unnamed wife with three kids could be any of us. She is in a rut and bored with life as she knows it. Kids, chores, meals, etc,. She longs for something else, something to make her remember the person she was before all of it. Who can't say they have felt a sense of self loss in the mundane tasks of the everyday?
While trying to find herself she takes us back to her youth and a relationship she had as a...more
From page one I am completely drawn in by the writing style.
The middle age, unnamed wife with three kids could be any of us. She is in a rut and bored with life as she knows it. Kids, chores, meals, etc,. She longs for something else, something to make her remember the person she was before all of it. Who can't say they have felt a sense of self loss in the mundane tasks of the everyday?
While trying to find herself she takes us back to her youth and a relationship she had as a...more
Jul 19, 2012
Robespierre Cat
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
more-crazy-than-the-color-purple
"You" start to read the book.
Immediately you see why someone recommended it to you.
You like the descriptions of marital boredom.
You notice that the story starts to resemble a montage of everything under the sun and then throw in "the bush."
You wonder if at about Lesson 19 the author could have written a book you might recognize as like life, versus like someone throwing in the kitchen sink with a blender making you a cosmo.
You start to think that the use of the you is the most amazingly irritati...more
Immediately you see why someone recommended it to you.
You like the descriptions of marital boredom.
You notice that the story starts to resemble a montage of everything under the sun and then throw in "the bush."
You wonder if at about Lesson 19 the author could have written a book you might recognize as like life, versus like someone throwing in the kitchen sink with a blender making you a cosmo.
You start to think that the use of the you is the most amazingly irritati...more
The book starts out with the (unnamed) main character married with three children. After we learn a bit about her, we learn about her younger years, and her relationship with Tol. This relationship is intense, and at times disturbing. I couldn't get it out of my mind that she was only 16 or 17 during this summer with Tol.
The lessons (chapters) are very short and repetitive. And the POV in which the book is written was annoying at times.
However, I found that this book had me thinking about it w...more
The lessons (chapters) are very short and repetitive. And the POV in which the book is written was annoying at times.
However, I found that this book had me thinking about it w...more
This book was a bit...erm...creepy? Odd? And not at all erotic in the way that I felt it was supposed to be. The lead character who I think remains nameless throughout the book is a mother of three who is feeling unfulfilled in her sexual life.
At the beginning, I absolutely hated her. In fact, a few times I put the book down, because this woman aggravated me about how she let another woman knock her down because of play dates and my child is better than your child.
GAH...PUKE!
I would be a terribl...more
At the beginning, I absolutely hated her. In fact, a few times I put the book down, because this woman aggravated me about how she let another woman knock her down because of play dates and my child is better than your child.
GAH...PUKE!
I would be a terribl...more
With My Body
By
Nikki Gemmell
My " in a nut shell" summary...
Wife and mother of three young boys ...married to a doctor...felt dead inside...no closeness with her husband...they had not slept together in years and although they loved each other...they had no intimacy.
My thoughts after reading...
Loved the way the story was told...the prologue sort of set it up but of course I didn't really get it until the end. Short one or two page chapters that totally held my interest. I thought that I was just r...more
By
Nikki Gemmell
My " in a nut shell" summary...
Wife and mother of three young boys ...married to a doctor...felt dead inside...no closeness with her husband...they had not slept together in years and although they loved each other...they had no intimacy.
My thoughts after reading...
Loved the way the story was told...the prologue sort of set it up but of course I didn't really get it until the end. Short one or two page chapters that totally held my interest. I thought that I was just r...more
The Bride Stripped Bare was one of my (if not THE) all-time favourite books. It was simply pitch-perfect in my opinion, and I think I've re-read it nearly 20 times. Certainly, it comes out at least once a year, maybe twice. It just really, really struck a chord with me - and I absolutely loved Gemmel's writing style. Loved everything about it, really. So it was with ridiculously high expectations I held With My Body in my trembling hands. I guess it was inevitable it wasn't going to live up to t...more
As many reviewers have commented, the second person style is initially unsettling. But once you adapt to it, it lends a certain "rightness" to this tale of a sexual awakening. There aren't many books that tackle this subject with the intensity of feeling Nikki Gemmell manages here.
There are things I didn't like about it but they are minor quibbles really -- it's somewhat too long, there are a lot of needless, rather strained passages struggling for literary oomph that if tightened up would actua...more
There are things I didn't like about it but they are minor quibbles really -- it's somewhat too long, there are a lot of needless, rather strained passages struggling for literary oomph that if tightened up would actua...more
Jul 03, 2012
Chris Craddock
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
contemporary-fiction
Nikki Gemmell's With My Body is a pretty good book that is not just some kind of Harlequin Romance--a bodice ripper or heavy breather of interest only to frustrated women who have to be home by 12 O'Clock. It covers a lot of questions about love, marriage, and the need for writers to be brave and express their truth in spite of what other people think. The concern for keeping the journals hidden and the consequences of having them read by the wrong people are also a subject of Nikki Gemmell's pr...more
With My Body is not for everyone. Like The Bride Stripped Bare it is not for the faint of heart. Second person narratives can be awkward and challenging, unwieldy in hands less capable. Fourtunately, Nikki Gemmell excels at the difficult POV. I've always loved second person narratives (WAY WAY more than first person which seldom feel very organic for me) and I love Gemmell's especially. The unflinching rawness of the text grabs hold and shakes loose expectations. It's challenging and difficult a...more
I have to go there and bring up a certain book!!! Simply because I have nothing else to compare it to. Fifty Shades of Grey is all the rage in the book world. I've been tempted to read it........but I read an excerpt on Amazon and was appalled!! Not by the sex, but by how bad the writing was!! If I'm going to read a book with graphic sex scenes, it would be nice if the writing was actually good.
The writing in With My Body by Nikki Gemmell is actually good. Her writing style does take some time...more
The writing in With My Body by Nikki Gemmell is actually good. Her writing style does take some time...more
I was shocked by the diverse reviews. Wow! I needed a break from my current reading preferences and thought this looked interesting. I was not disappointed.
I too, put it down shortly after starting it because it was a bit depressing, however, it was only because it spoke more to true life than say, 50 shades. But after a couple of days, I picked it up again and didn't stop until I finished it.
I thought it was a beautiful read, her style of writing was captivating and made me want to read more...more
I too, put it down shortly after starting it because it was a bit depressing, however, it was only because it spoke more to true life than say, 50 shades. But after a couple of days, I picked it up again and didn't stop until I finished it.
I thought it was a beautiful read, her style of writing was captivating and made me want to read more...more
Jun 06, 2012
Natasha
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
18-and-older,
favorite
I was sent this book by the publisher to review. At first sight I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the writing style, the way it was broken up into “lessons”, or that I would like the whole story being in second person. WOW! Nikki Gemmell really can pull this off. Her writing is so lyrical, just stunning. Her words are raw, powerful, and captivatingly beautiful. I was addicted by page 2. Had it not been for my kids needing me I would have devoured all 462 pages in one sitting. I have never read that ma...more
Jun 21, 2012
Melissa
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
book-tour,
books-i-own
So, you've read that Fifty Shades of something or other book (and the next one, and the next one). And you liked it enough, and now you're thinking you wouldn't mind some more bow chicka wow wow to while away your time beside the beach or pool this summer.
You know, IF said book would just happen to fall into your e-reader or beach tote or something.
Well, you're in luck because that's just the kind of book With My Body by Nikki Gemmell is. It's also disturbing as all hell, but we'll get to that i...more
You know, IF said book would just happen to fall into your e-reader or beach tote or something.
Well, you're in luck because that's just the kind of book With My Body by Nikki Gemmell is. It's also disturbing as all hell, but we'll get to that i...more
I wasn't a huge fan of Bride, but I really enjoy Nikki Gemmell's weekly columns in The Australian and I always look forward to them. I was very disappointed with this book. I found the use of the second person quite distancing and I didn't feel engaged with any of the characters. The first section of the book starts out well, but nothing really new was said, I mean we've all met the competitive mothers and faced the school gate crowd. The second section was an interesting concept but still felt...more
With My Body by Nikki Gemmell is definitely a book, after reading, you need to think and reflect upon before sharing your thoughts, at least for me. I admit, as many others, the short "lesson" made the reading a bit awkward. I was initially troubled by a teenage girl experiencing such explicit sexual experiences. Without the strong influence of her mother... or even a mother figure, the "rights of passage" were guided by the older male lover. But, this man seemingly took advantage of her youth a...more
The second person format and the very short chapters seemed distracting at first but somehow by the end of the book oddly worked. The age difference between she and he was a bit disconcerting but what I really liked was that they both learned from each other and I liked the literary bend that the book had. I love sex and I love love. Both were described with a gritty realism that I enjoyed. No bodice ripping here just a realistic at times somewhat crude descriptions that I felt were well balance...more
The main theme of With My Body is women’s sexuality and its fluidity–how it can be affected in good and bad ways, and how it changes over time. With My Body is organized into a set of lessons for women, inspired by a Victorian book titled A Woman’s Thoughts About Women, written by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik and published in 1858. This book plays a predominant role in the narrator’s life, and every chapter of With My Body is labeled with a phrase from the Victorian book, then tells a corresponding...more
I felt so conflicted after reading with my body. At so many levels I related to the main character, my own heart aches with the boredom and frustration that accompanies all the good things of middle age motherhood and so on. And I remembered being 16 and wanting to own my body to use it as a way of exalting myself. So in many ways I was envious of this character who had been given the gift of having her body loved and opened by someone with experience. But part of me was also screaming but she i...more
I thought this book would be interesting after briefly skimming the book jacket. I did not know or expect it to be erotica as I bought it at Target! I can only guess that these books have been mainstreamed due to the success of "Fifty Shades of Grey".
I read it quickly, it had a lot of potential. I quickly grew tired of the second person narritive. The seemingly unrelated "lessons" at the top of each short underdeveloped chapter were more interesting than the book itself. Were the lessons excerpt...more
I read it quickly, it had a lot of potential. I quickly grew tired of the second person narritive. The seemingly unrelated "lessons" at the top of each short underdeveloped chapter were more interesting than the book itself. Were the lessons excerpt...more
A provocative gem of a novel about a young woman's sexual awakening. When we meet our protagonist who is referred to in the novel as "you", she is a married, mother of three boys that is discontent with her hum-drum domestic life. Yet, the novel is anything but ordinary. In exquisite prose, we learn of our protagonist's past, a past marked her teenage affair with an older man. Her journey from a shy, virginal, country girl to an ambitious, sexually awakened woman is gorgeously painful. Our prota...more
I'm not sure what I think about this book. It's put together oddly and has annoying affectations, but explores interesting issues.
Pros first, as there's only one but it's a biggie - exploring female sexuality and the power it holds. To say any more would probably be a spoiler.
Cons - oo boy, I have a list. First, there are over 200 chapters, each spanning one to three pages. Each chapter starts with a quote, sometimes just a phrase, that kinda sorta relates to the content. If there were one quote...more
Pros first, as there's only one but it's a biggie - exploring female sexuality and the power it holds. To say any more would probably be a spoiler.
Cons - oo boy, I have a list. First, there are over 200 chapters, each spanning one to three pages. Each chapter starts with a quote, sometimes just a phrase, that kinda sorta relates to the content. If there were one quote...more
They have changed the cover on this book . It is not an erotic sex story but a rather extreme coming of age story and the consequences of that experience , felt until mid life.Set in the mountains north of Sydney the 14 year old girl lives with her father who is distant after the death of her mother . She is running wild until her Father remarries . The new wife is cold and it seems unable to have children. The girl meets Tol who grooms her for sex and they begin an affair. Years later she is ma...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This book starts out with the portrait of a middle-aged woman who feels trapped in her life of a passionless marriage, fake friendships, and a never-ending cycle of errands and chores. She has lost herself and her zest for life. But then we travel to the past--when as a teenager she was bursting with passion and meet the man who fed and nurtured it. So what became of him . . . and her?
I found this book difficult to get into at first. The 2nd person point of view was so distracting and the repeti...more
I found this book difficult to get into at first. The 2nd person point of view was so distracting and the repeti...more
Nikki Gemmell is now one of my favorite authors. This vocabulary rich novel put 50 Shades of Grey to shame. What I thought was another sexual story line turned out to be so much more..it really examines a woman's sexuality. Instead of chapters, Gemmell gives us 225 lessons that I plan on reading again. My favorite quote..."if you want to inflict pain,do the most damage, then withhold love as a parent" as a woman that came from abuse and bad decisions for several years ( due to looking for love i...more
This was such a lovely book. Having read 50 Shades of Grey not too long ago it was nice to come across a book that deals with lots of sex while still being well written. It tells the story of a woman who is tired of the life she now has. Then it goes to her past and tells of her growing up and most importantly her first love which molded her into the person she has become. With short chapters called "Lessons" the book moved quickly and in no time I found myself at the end. For me though the book...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Nikki Gemmell has written four novels, Shiver, Cleave, Lovesong, The Bride Stripped Bare and The Book Of Rapture, and one non-fiction book, Pleasure: An Almanac for the Heart. Her work has been internationally critically acclaimed and translated into many languages.
In France she's been described as a female Jack Kerouac, in Australia as one of the most original and engaging authors of her generati...more
More about Nikki Gemmell...
In France she's been described as a female Jack Kerouac, in Australia as one of the most original and engaging authors of her generati...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

























I agree with your assessme...more
updated Sep 02, 2012 02:36pm