Return to the Château: Story of O (Volume 2) {preceded by A Girl in Love}

Story of O #2

by Pauline Réage

At the beginning of Return to the Château, the author writes, "The pages that follow are a sequel to Story of O. They deliberately suggest the degradation of that work, and cannot under any circumstances be integrated into it."

The volume begins with 'A Girl in Love', a kind of autobiographical preface in which the author relates the circumstances that lead to her authorship of Story of O.

Genres: Erotica, Fiction, BDSM, Classics, France, Romance, Literature

106 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Fifty years ago, an extraordinary pornographic novel appeared in Paris. Published simultaneously in French and English, Story of O portrayed explicit scenes of bondage and violent penetration in spare, elegant prose, the purity of the writing making the novel seem reticent even as it dealt with demonic desire, with whips, masks and chains.

Pauline Réage, the author, was a pseudonym, and many people thought that the book could only have been written by a man. The writer's true identity was not revealed until 10 years ago, when, in an interview with John de St Jorre, a British journalist and some-time foreign correspondent of The Observer, an impeccably dressed 86-year-old intellectual called Dominique Aury (born Anne Desclos) acknowledged that the fantasies of castles, masks and debauchery were hers.

Aury was an eminent figure in literary France, and had been when she wrote the book at the age of 47. A translator, editor and judge of literary prizes, for a quarter of a decade, Aury was the only woman to sit on the reading committee of publishers Gallimard (a body that also included Albert Camus) and was a holder of the Légion d'Honneur. She could scarcely have been more highbrow, nor, according to de St Jorre, more quietly and soberly dressed, more 'nun-like'.

Read the full text at http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2004/...

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not nearly as intense as The Story of O, but somehow fitting. The life O had perhaps hoped of, as the previous book closes, fizzles out and dies. How exactly does one pledge servitude forever to something so capable of fickleness as another human being?

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sucked. A sequel was not necessary for "O".

[Jamie Guzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in tears at the end, I was so attached to "O".

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

If The Story of O wasn't your thing—and it doesn't seem to be for most—then absolutely stay far away from this. In many ways it's even chillier & less erotic than its infamous predecessor, & even Réage/Aury herself conceded that O didn't need a follow-up, but I still found it very worthwhile. While I was ultimately unsatisfied with the overall narrative trajectory & resolution, I appreciated the way it depicts even the most intense & involved S&M dynamics ultimately must contend with the continuance of everyday life & its pesky mundanities. There's an odd power to this book's deep ambivalence.

[Read #18 of "2021: My Year of (Mostly) Midcentury Women Writers"]

[Sabin · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the author of The Story of O, the classic guide to getting and training your very own sex slave, with valuable insights into the female psyche like “never let a day go by without beating her, be it cane, paddle or whip” or “let her know her place by always being prepared to serve any man”, we get this masterpiece. I’ll call this one: High-End Brothel Management for Dummies. You learn how to set prices, how to attract clients, how to keep the girls healthy and what you need to do when a client doesn’t abide by the rules. The only thing left is to find the starting capital – get some angel investors maybe, a good location – private, out of the way, but with good access from all around the world, and go make some money, you greedy bastard!

[Darius Whiteplume · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really by Réage, and quite different. Not really worth the effort.

[Ilaria Pii · Rating 2 out of 5]

Avevo sperato in un finale.. E invece anche stavolta sono rimasta con l'amaro in bocca... Per come è stato scritto l'ho trovato all'altezza del precedente ma sicuramente è un seguito di cui si può fare a meno.

[EJ Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

In an effort to become more introspective this sequel, alas, becomes far more confused and boring.

[Miguel Soto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Por alguna razón me pareció mucho mejor que el anterior, Historia de O. Aquí, la misma protagonista adquiere otras características, además de cambiar de rol en cierto sentido, o de ampliar el que ya tenía, se le nota más presente en la narrativa, como si fuera, curiosamente, un poco menos objeto, en el proceso de convertirse cada vez más en uno.

[Redfox5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm confused, is this the suppressed last chapter from the first book. It's billed as a sequel but in 'The Story Of O' it has an ending, even though it was short, shit and suppressed.

This book is about O being abandoned by Sir Stephen at the Roissy, where she basically becomes a prostitute. It you like that sort of thing, which I do, then you like this. It's not as good as the first one, mainly because I'm not sure if she wants to be there. I understood her reasons in the first one, love, but I don't understand why she just didn't leave once she realised Sir Stephen wasn't coming back. It's a decent erotic novel, could have been longer though.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not at all in the same, classic class as Story of O. It violates that general rule of good, effective writing: that one should show, rather than tell. The multiple mysterious ambiguities embedded in the Story of O are one of its intrinsic strengths -- part of what makes it so darkly alluring and provocative. This "explanation" of the workings of the society of Roissy, for me, cheapens the tale.

[Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice to read the sequel but no where near as good as the first book.

[Cute Vintage Fervour · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is hard for me to believe that Mrs. Reage would write this. O is no longer the strong heroine like in the Story of O. Now she is degraded to a prostitute. The mysterious chateau in Roissy en France, once so captivating, now resembles a simple brothel. The actions throughout the novel make it seem as if all of the O's power she gained under the ownership of Sir Stephen, slowly but gradually diminished more and more. Once so powerful and confident O is now resembling a child, rather than an adult, in a way. Anne Marie's true job occupation seems to be written in a rush, and appears senseless. Also, the reader never finds out what happened to Natalie after her arrival at the chateau/brothel.

The shocking end, when O leaves the chateau (or now rather a brothel) can be grasped from metaphorical point of view as well. Does she leave only the place, or also her previous way of life? Does she leave the relational life and becomes a spinster? One option? Both? Or none? The end is massively opened - where did she go? Why was her permanent mark removed...

I can't help, but think that this shouldn't have been written at all.

[Moidina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
Vol. 2 di “La Storia di O” (Dark Romance francese del 1954) nella versione con un finale edizione Bompiani (ne esistono 3 di finali diversi)
Trope: bdsm, schiavismo, abusi e violenze
Scrittura e linguaggio di Pauline Réage: in questo vol. 2, sempre in terza persona, la scrittura è molto più scorrevole e facile rispetto al vol. 1
Ritmo: buono
Spicy 3🌶️🌶️🌶️
Romanticismo 🌸
Risate
Lacrime
Sir Stephan book boyfriend 1 ♥️
Finale da 5🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
Personaggio preferito: Anne-Marie
Personaggio odiato: Sir Stephan
Note: il vol. 1 è un libro francese del 1954 mentre il vol. 2 è del 1969. Dal momento che la “Storia di O" ha due/tre distinti finali, il vol. 2 “Ritorno a Roissy" è possibile solo in uno/due di questi.
Questo vol. 2 è di gran lunga più scorrevole e di più facile lettura. Anche la trama (con una punta thriller) e il finale mi sono piaciuti di più rispetto al vol. 1.

[Malena]

Por algún motivo, descubro ahora, nunca anoté la lectura de Historia de O (de paso, tampoco la de ambos libros de Sophie Morgan), ¿vergüenza?, ¿protegerme de ojos curiosos que vean esto? No lo sé, pero bueno.
Para empezar esta edición está infinitamente mejor que La historia de O, es muy cortita, fuera de eso, no fue para tanto. Los detalles son muy... jugosos, pero la historia es algo aburrida y decepcionante. Leyendo el epílogo de un cierto señor gran fanático de Reage, ¿hay algo más que una historia erótica para disfrutarla? Lo dudo. Sin por eso creer que es una mala obra, muy al contrario, me parece excelente. Debería leer más sobre la historia de la publicación.
Sería bueno tener una linda edición física <3.

[Alicia SG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aunque sin duda Pauline Reagué sabe cómo escribir sobre sexo, está continuación de “historia de O” sin perder el morbo y la sensualidad se queda corta con respecto a la obra principal.

Se cree que fue un capítulo descartado por la autora en la edición final de la novela y en ese caso, tendría mucho más sentido.

[claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

with a shifted focus on capital, reage finally asserts Roissy is a brothel, not a secret club, and that the girls there are sex workers, not bound by any lover unless they are lucky. the “girl in love” prologue reveals reage’s intent to completely undo the set ups of Story of O. couldn’t imagine being a sourpuss radfem hating that book and not willing to see reage’s full intent

[Daniel Tordera · Rating 4 out of 5]

La continuación de "Historia de O". En mi opinión una segunda parte muy necesaria. Aquí se descubre la verdadera naturaleza de los personajes y si has empatizado con la protagonista te arrastrará muy hacia abajo. Puntos extra por el prefacio de la autora que cuenta la génesis de su primer libro de una forma muy interesante.

[Moon Captain · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tedious and worthless. Just awful. Like a guided meditation in watching paint dry, except now that I say that, that sounds much better than this book. Brilliant money grab though, publishing this. Prepare for disappointment and not even the sexy kind.

[JW David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it, but I don't think it was as well written as the first part. But you definitely have to read The Story of O for this part to make sense, unfortunately I don't think it lived up to its potential.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tenía ganas de saber el final de la historia, solo se compone de un único capítulo más el prólogo de la autora en el que nos relata las reflexiones de su obra.

[Augusto Delgado · Rating 3 out of 5]

O cuesta abajo, sometida al poder de burgeses caballeros que sin él no tendrían O.

[Marrei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Přiznejme to - je to porno.

Ale je to porno, co mě fakt bavilo. A taky mi sedlo v úchylkách, co si budeme povídat.

Jen ten konec byl trochu slabší.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. After reading this I am on the O doesn't need a sequel bandwagon. Thankfully it was a short read.

[Derrelicto · Rating 3 out of 5]

La continuación de "La historia de O". Hay quien duda que ambas sean de Reage, por el cambio radical en los personajes. Puede ser...

[Esme Conlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this one nearly as much as the original...it felt darker and less thoughtful, somehow.

[Eddy Estrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Al fin podemos saber más de la historia y sobre todo saber que fue de esas paginas quitadas de la historia de O que aquí regresan como un gran epílogo que nos brinda más sobre qué fue de O.

[Gish · Rating 3 out of 5]

No me convenció. Siento que le faltó peso y sustancia

[Luby Arias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apesar de todo O seguia fiel a la sumision aun cuando habia sido abandonada

[roksannaa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bicie gwałt bicie gwałt bicie gwałt mega książka 😉