The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty
by Anne Rice
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Book Reviews of The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty
Book Review: Wish I had read the other reviews before ordering
Summary: 1 Stars
I first learned of this book series from a Biography Channel episode on Anne Rice. She said that this was a book of some of her "sexual fantasies". I used the Amazon feature to read the first few pages. I was intrigued, so like an idiot I ordered all three books right away. (I'm one of those people that always have to have the whole "set")
I just finished the first one and dread having to suffer through the next two. I HAVE to finish the story, as stupid as it is, since I can't stand to leave a story without finishing it.
Unless you "get off" on S&M and especially spanking, you won't like this book. I personally don't like reading about people being humiliated and treated horribly. I don't care if the characters wanted it. I found it sooooo boring. Especially the spanking over and over and over again. This book is CRAP! If these really are Anne Rice's "fantasies", she has some major issues. Only small portions of this book were "stimulating" and I had to wade through a bunch of unpleasant junk to find it.
I would recommend anyone considering these books to just get the first one and see if it's your "cup of tea".
It will be a relief when I finish this so I can get rid of them. Not sure what to do with the books. Unfortunately I don't have a mouse like another reviewer has to feed the book to. My fireplace is gas, so I can't toss it in there either. I will most certainly give them away to some unsuspecting person like myself. Someone with a warped sense of humor and/or sick sense of curiosity.
Seriously, this book stinks, sucks, and bites!
Book Review: Happily NEVER After
Summary: 1 Stars
This is the worst piece of supposed erotica I have ever encountered. It is neither scintilating nor satisfying. It's billed as an erotic exploration of the Sleeping Beauty story--a concept I find not only valid, but interesting and extremely promising. However, after the prince enters the castle, slices off Beauty's clothes and proceeds to rape her--she's unconscious, mind you--the story leaves behind any trace of the fairy tale. It begs the question, why bother with the tie? Why not just create your own Prince-Not-At-All-Charming and Princess Exquisitely Idotic?There's really nothing to recommend this book. Certainly not the characters; they're repulsive, simplistic and downright stupid. Plot? Nope! The plot is merely a vehicle to set up one insipid sexual situation after another. The writing itself is dreadful. It clunks and thunks along through one improbable description after another. Stylistically, it downright stinks! I've never read Ann Rice and I see no reason to check out any of her other works.
I love a well crafted sexual encounter. However, there's nothing remotely resembling such an animal here. There's scene after scene describing various supposed erotic acts, yet in her apparent attempt to shock, Ms. Rice completely misses the mark. It gets so ho-hum--oh, sex again? Another spanking? Will he raise welts or not this time? Yawn! Wake me when it's over. Not erotic! There's nothing at all appealing about any of it. In fact, unless you're heavily into abasement and degradation, there's nothing here for you. If there is, I recommend therapy.
Book Review: Sad
Summary: 1 Stars
This is supposed to be an erotic telling of the tale of Sleeping Beauty. I had read some erotica beforehand, but not that much, and it was in much better taste. The beginning of this book intrigued me. I was curious to read about a more adult version of the classic tale.
Instead, what I was confronted with (after a couple of promising beginning chapters) was a endless series of events revolving around spanking and humiliation. I find it hard to believe that all the different Kings and Queens would just hand over their TEENAGED children to the Queen, especially after it is revealed in the second book of this series that a sentence of only one or two years could end up being indefinite. All of these teenagers are humiliated and forced to perform all sorts of degrading acts for the Lords and Ladies of the Queen's Court.
Rebellion is severely punished, but come on, can you expect these teenagers to NOT rebel after being stripped of their clothes and dignity and being taken sexually against their will? This isn't an erotic tale, it is one of sadism and humiliation. This slavery is supposed to teach these teenagers and help turn them into responsible adults, but they're given no real education (from the books, etc) and spend all their days being tied up, tortured, or being made to perform lewd acts or submit to sexual attention/molestation from people they don't even like. The characters become cardboard, and it was a drag to finish this book, and the ending to the trilogy of this series isn't any better than the ending to this particular volume.
Book Review: The relationship of master and slave
Summary: 5 Stars
Time and again I've been told that I needed to read the Sleeping Beauty trilogy by my friends, especially being such an Anne Rice fan. I said I'd get around to it, but being the poor college student I am - I never had the money to go buy the books. Finally, last year my friend leant me her copies of the series - and told me to read them. So the books sat around on my bookshelf for six months, while so many other things took precedence - shows, homework..and finally I said I needed a little time for myself - and opened the first book.I found myself spirited away into the whirl of this world (a plus for me, who usually puts a book down after the first chapter and never finishes it). In reviews I've read readers complaining about the lack of description of characters. However, I found this helpful - it became easy to realize Beauty's point of view. Instead of looking at the situation from an omnipotent view you see everything through her eyes (and I doubt she ever got to sit down with any of those people and shoot the breeze). I found myself turning each page in anticipation of the next new punishment.
Each new punishment wasn't the same monotonous thing, instead it was more of a game - each was different in it's own way, each elliciting it's own form of pleasure. Different games with a similar touch. The common thread to teach complete obedience, and eventual love of the master - what is expected of a slave.
I enjoyed this book thouroughly and intend to keep on reading until I finish the next two books, eagerly awaiting each new twist.
Book Review: Not your average Fairytale........
Summary: 5 Stars
So, we all think we know what happens when Sleeping Beauty is kissed by the prince and is awaken - they live happily ever after, right?? Well, think again kids. Our story begins with Beauty being awoken by the prince and that is where the similarties end.
Beauty is swiftly taken from her her kingdom by the prince, and forced in slavery as it appears all other princes and princesses are in this land, with their families permission.
Like all stories of a BDSM nature, Beauty is beaten, humilitated and subject to the most degrading acts. She is always nude, regulary beaten and groped and experiences one humiliation after the other. Eventually, she begins to "submit" and become a graceful slave, but then after an encounter with the mysterious and beautiful Prince Alexi, she decides to try to run away. Knowing that she cannot possibly escape and that her punishment will be the gravest of all they have, she seems to have done this intentionally.
The book ends with Beauty on her way to her punishment, leaving me desperate to read the next book.
This book is not for the faint at heart. There are spankings, sex, tortures, etc. This consumes a good 75% or more of the book, so don't read this if that is to much for you. For me, it was just right. I am always amazed at the new and different tortures that authors come up with in these stories and this book did not disappoint.
I had a hard time putting the book down and cannot wait to read book 2.