In which chains and whips do not excite me
Warning: possible spoilers ahead.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars.
Reaction summarized in one word: meh.
Man, that was a disappointment. It was like watching porn, and instead of inducing the mind-blowing orgasm that you were hoping for, it only produced boredom with a tiny bit of titillation on the side.
The sex scenes! They were just so…routine and described in such a matter of fact manner, even though Reage was writing about a whole lot of kinky shit (that sounded seriously painful by the way. Whips and chains – okay. Bruises, blood, tears, branding – no thanks).
Perhaps it’s sexier in the original French, but the English translation didn’t do anything for me. Sexually.
And for a work written by a female author, it was so male-gratification-oriented. Sure, O has some sexy lesbian times, but they were on her (MALE) lover’s terms.
If it wasn’t for the fact that I paid 50 cents for my used paperback copy, I would’ve put it down after 40 pages.
BUT despite my total utter boredom, I can’t give this book one star. And despite the fact that O is treated brutally and like property by her male lovers, I can’t exactly call this book an anti-feminist work. The reasons:
The writing was elegant.
With the knowledge that the author wrote this book as a love letter, I understand this work better (well, I think, at least). Yes, O is humiliated, beaten, debased, et cetera. But her love – her self-sacrificing, all-encompassing love – makes her a willing participant. & what is love? When your lover’s desires become your desires. When you are willing to do anything for your beloved. When you become one with your lover. & that is what this book is all about – that kind of love.
But what kind of fucking ending was that? O just kills herself because Stephen leaves her? & she only kills herself with STEPHEN’S FUCKING PERMISSION? Ugh!
Perhaps the ending reflects what this IMDB reviewer was saying in a review of the film:
“There were two different endings to the book which are still extant. Both involve Sir Stephen losing all interest in ‘O’ after he has completed humiliating her in every way he can. In one ‘O’ begs Sir Stephen to permit her to commit suicide – she would not do it without his explicit permission, but he grants her this. In the other she is returned to the training mansion to help teach her replacement what will be expected. Either of these endings convey the clear message that total submission does not lead to greater love but ultimately to contempt for the oversubmissive individual.”
