des_talks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
marlene2112's review against another edition
funny
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
ladydewinter's review against another edition
4.0
I am fairly sure I had never heard of this book before this year, but then happened to come across it several times in other books, and ultimately got curious enough to buy it. And it was an interesting read, to be sure. It’s Victorian porn, and while it doesn’t really work as porn (at least not for me) it’s worth reading for the, ahem, content as much as for the vocabulary and atmosphere, for lack of a better word. I was constantly thinking of a girl back at uni who was shocked when I insisted a poem written at the beginning of the 20th century might be dealing with masturbation. I wonder what she would have said to that. Not that I knew that there were books like that when I was at uni.
Alright, I hope I can put this the right way. I think reading books like this one actually are a vivid reminder that mankind as such hasn’t changed much )when it comes to sex at least) as well as reminding us that people in the past were actual people. That sounds stupid, I know, but it’s kind of like being in Pompei and realizing that two thousand years ago there were people walking through those streets, most of them probably thinking about sex in one way or the other (just kidding). Basically what I mean is that people needed wank material way before the internet.
It’s not a book I would recommend to people, exactly, unless you’re looking for vocab to use in your historical novel (just let’s avoid Mr Pego, maybe). But I found it fascinating.
Alright, I hope I can put this the right way. I think reading books like this one actually are a vivid reminder that mankind as such hasn’t changed much )when it comes to sex at least) as well as reminding us that people in the past were actual people. That sounds stupid, I know, but it’s kind of like being in Pompei and realizing that two thousand years ago there were people walking through those streets, most of them probably thinking about sex in one way or the other (just kidding). Basically what I mean is that people needed wank material way before the internet.
It’s not a book I would recommend to people, exactly, unless you’re looking for vocab to use in your historical novel (just let’s avoid Mr Pego, maybe). But I found it fascinating.
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