ferris_mx's review against another edition
3.0
Wow she makes it all seem so grim. It doesn't really mesh with my experiences.
helterskelliter's review against another edition
4.0
“I thought for a long time that my driving force was my intrinsic curiosity about strangers and all the illicit things other people do. I thought I sat on the outside, observing, manipulating, and drawing conclusions. I was wrong.” (2)
A truly fascinating, eye-opening, and deeply unsettling book about Febos’ time working as a professional dominatrix in NYC while attending school and grappling with a heroin addiction. This story explores the intoxicating nature of not only our own compulsions and needs but also the addictive quality of other people’s compulsions, neuroses, and obsessions.
We are all addicted to something, whether we admit it or not.
If we don’t confront these dark desire and needs, we are neglecting essential parts of ourselves and starving them of the attention they need. Secrets can be fun to hold inside but only so long as they don’t fester and consume us. Sooner or later, you have to come clean — to yourself.
Highly recommend! I unexpectedly enjoyed this book~
A truly fascinating, eye-opening, and deeply unsettling book about Febos’ time working as a professional dominatrix in NYC while attending school and grappling with a heroin addiction. This story explores the intoxicating nature of not only our own compulsions and needs but also the addictive quality of other people’s compulsions, neuroses, and obsessions.
We are all addicted to something, whether we admit it or not.
If we don’t confront these dark desire and needs, we are neglecting essential parts of ourselves and starving them of the attention they need. Secrets can be fun to hold inside but only so long as they don’t fester and consume us. Sooner or later, you have to come clean — to yourself.
Highly recommend! I unexpectedly enjoyed this book~
stuhlsatzg's review against another edition
4.0
This book is an excellent and fun read. The first half is filled with stories about clients in the dungeon and Febos' experiences becoming a professional dominatrix. As a side note, I would thoroughly enjoy reading a collection of essays on just this. The second half of the book goes more into detail about her struggles with finding herself and being comfortable within herself. It's peppered w/ excellent feminist commentary and is a beautiful invitations into the mind of a professional dominatrix.
agracerobinson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Written in 2010, there is certainly some outdated language, but it is, after all, her experience. I loved this.
fionnanilsson's review against another edition
3.75
The last fifth of the book made the whole thing worth the read, but the middle of the book could have been edited down substantially. In the end I recognized it as a first book from a great writer. l who may have still been finding their footing. Almost DNF’d but am really glad I didn’t.