Oh, I don't know two stars/three stars.Like many other reader's have pointed out, I was simply bored with this book. Though I think it is extremely challenging to write a fiction book that focuses on BDSM...I think what I would have liked would have been something more down to earth, maybe more subtle. Like, I want a book that has a submissive female character, but I want those qualities to reflect something else in a larger context. What can being a submissive woman teach us about power, sexually or otherwise? I want a book where the characters/roles/players involved in BDSM illustrate something bigger than the fact that they are invovled in something taboo and so it is "cool."Of course, I don't know if any of that appears in the book. I can't say I have made up my mind about O's situation. I would say some of the events, especially ones that are heavily propelled by O's internal monologue, made me cringe. I feel like I would HATE to be in any of her situations and especially because she never actually says anything. Anything of substance comes from O's thoughts. Yet, I can also understand that this is only one version of O that we are presented, which is really challenging as a reader. I like to think that from the very beginning, when O enters Roissy, that she is even denied any explicitness of her alternative characteristics. We are all different people in different situtations and in this story O is the submissive woman. I just finished reading The Story of O,while I find that life style bizarre,I also see its lure. Hear me out, without the many partners, beating,piercing and branding it has it's erotic appeal, if not you nor I would have ever picked it up to read in the first place. Everyone wants to be desired, maybe not at the same level as O. But then again I believe certain events that may have taken in her life is why she became this way. Not saying it's good or bad,may not for be for me but even though one may not be into BDSM what woman doesn't want at time to be man handle or a take change man? Then there's the narrow mindset of people who think sex is just to reproduce only...and only one way. BORING! I don't know exactly that I find this novel as being great but rather captivating in the sense that once you read it your curiosity is peeked or you find yourself feeling more sensual. Very Parisian for sure, as for the French, as I was told, "love to be loved, and love to make love." Love has different meaning for different people. Some love to be desired as I believe O did. I believe her Obsession was to be controlled to owned.That others gratification was her salvation. I don't believe O could love anyone or know love without being sexual. I felt sorry for O but in some sense she wasn't mentally right. I believe she must have been mentally or physically abused as a child to accept all that. She was looking for love the wrong way some girls have done by jumping into bed with men far to soon in hopes of not being discarded. The book leaves you feeling emotionally conflicted which is why I say it's worth reading. (If you're an adult!)
What do You think about Djevojka O (1954)?
Oh, I don't know two stars/three stars.Like many other reader's have pointed out, I was simply bored with this book. Though I think it is extremely challenging to write a fiction book that focuses on BDSM...I think what I would have liked would have been something more down to earth, maybe more subtle. Like, I want a book that has a submissive female character, but I want those qualities to reflect something else in a larger context. What can being a submissive woman teach us about power, sexually or otherwise? I want a book where the characters/roles/players involved in BDSM illustrate something bigger than the fact that they are invovled in something taboo and so it is "cool."Of course, I don't know if any of that appears in the book. I can't say I have made up my mind about O's situation. I would say some of the events, especially ones that are heavily propelled by O's internal monologue, made me cringe. I feel like I would HATE to be in any of her situations and especially because she never actually says anything. Anything of substance comes from O's thoughts. Yet, I can also understand that this is only one version of O that we are presented, which is really challenging as a reader. I like to think that from the very beginning, when O enters Roissy, that she is even denied any explicitness of her alternative characteristics. We are all different people in different situtations and in this story O is the submissive woman.
—wsjohnston59
The only reason why this got a star is simply because at every stage Reage lets you know that everything happening is O's choice. This is not erotic to me and I read in hopes that there would be some sort of sense being made out of all of it.The reason why she makes the choice to be enslaved by her lover and become a disposable object is what kept me reading. I thought that it could be..1) She's mad to begin with, in which case I've been reading about the abuse of a mentally ill person -ugh 2) She does it because she loves Rene -this makes no sense to me, she never seems fully sure of whether he loves her and self preservation should kick in at some point, right?3) She truly believes that she deserves this treatment because of something she has done in the past, something that needs to be revealed and then she will be redeemed...really elaborate self imposed punishment.All the men are wealthy faceless monsters and the women their accomplices, the surroundings opulent and cold. Oh and near the end there's a girl of barely 15 who wants to be just like O...its just too much. In the end there is no reason (no good one anyway) which means that I, like O, just put my self through this horror for no reason, by choice.
—Bumse
Definitely a case of the good, the bad, and the weird.
—yvonnec
