This was......very difficult for me to read. I seriously had to fight myself to get through it. That is not to say that it wasn't fantastically written, or that it wasn't a great book. It was just a little too much for me. There is a certain allure to the world of submission that has had me reading about it for years, however, this was my first attempt at reading a book about TPE and it pretty much scared the shit out of me. I definitely understand how certain people could need this kind of thing. I'm honestly not one to judge, as I have my own kinks. However, I think the humiliation and dehumanizing aspect of this novel is a very frightening concept for me. The one thing that scares me about the BDSM world is the ability to lose oneself when handing over all control to another and I think this book only worsened that fear, to be honest.Once again, it was very well written and I'm sure there are people out there who enjoy this kind of reading. I am just not one of them. I have been puzzling on this review for some time... even before the book was finished. I read this as part of a taboo challenge, so all of the way through the story, I kept asking myself... 'is this pushing my boundaries?' 'Is this making me uncomfortable?'The thing about a taboo is that it is a very subjective notion. What is 'taboo' to one person, will almost certainly not be to another. In this respect, As She's Told is not taboo for me. How to explain this? Based on the reviews I had read, I was expecting something more... more depraved, more degrading, more blurring of the lines of Maia's consent? I don't know... Certainly parts of the story are depraved, degrading, and even de-humanising, and her boundaries are well and truly stretched... but it is nothing more than Maia wanted. The theme of her consent is a constant one throughout the book, and for me, this is the key. However harsh, unrelenting and sadistic Anders is (and he is), he is not a rapist or an abuser. He actively seeks - and receives - Maia's consent. She chooses a live of sexual slavery, and thoroughly relishes it.Having said all of this, I didn't much like the characters. Maia particularly is incredibly frustrating, and whilst I understand many of her motivations, I struggle with the extent to which she allows herself to be objectified and (in my opinion) disrespected. Perhaps this is more of a reflection of my own judgments though...I did enjoy the book, and I did find it (shamefully) erotic! Perhaps because I was prepared (by spoilers), I did not find it shocking or disturbing and none of my boundaries were pushed. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the dynamic of a Master/slave relationship, and understands what this means (or is intrigued to find out!) I have given it a well-deserved 4 stars, and will definitely be looking for more books by Anneke Jacob!
What do You think about As She's Told (2008)?
review will be forthcoming - i need some time to think about all the stuff that happened in the book
—angelfacegirl41
I wanted something more. Be careful what you ask for.
—GothicLover123
the writing style threw me, couldn't get into
—Sambit
