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sams84's review against another edition
3.0
Well this turned out to be somewhat more graphic and sexually charged than I expected, which at first made for a great story and a very interesting read. But then it started to get a little repetitive as Fanny moves from one man to another, using her sexuality (and little else) to gain their trust and support. That aside, she does still manage to keep a certain level of independence, particularly given the social norms of the era and how these dictate the direction her life goes. Not to mention the descriptive and inventive language used, particularly the many and varied words used for the male member.
nicole_bg's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
sarcastic_fish's review against another edition
3.0
this book has no business being as funny as it is
it’s a metaphor, see
a historical reminder that you’ve never done anything original in bed
it’s a metaphor, see
a historical reminder that you’ve never done anything original in bed
rosekk's review against another edition
3.0
It's good to know trashy erotic literature has a pedigree as old as any other genre.
sherwoodreads's review against another edition
This is a peculiar book, more interesting for its ideas about relations between genders, especially in houses where sex was for pay, and for its ideas about the psychology of sex, than for its eroticism. (Or its ideas about how only a male can give a woman true pleasure.)
The fact that it stayed in print for longer than most other books indicate not just the perennial popularity of porn (which actually comes and goes) but suggests to me that some used it as a sex manual.
The fact that it stayed in print for longer than most other books indicate not just the perennial popularity of porn (which actually comes and goes) but suggests to me that some used it as a sex manual.
emleemay's review against another edition
2.0
I'm talking about an erotic novel here, so maybe don't read my review if you tend to get offended by open and frank discussion about sexual acts. Just warning you in advance :)
Okay, firstly, this is porn. Just porn. Not a great literary achievement, not something that will sit snug in your mind with the Austen and Bronte classics... PORN. It got quite a reputation for being the first pornography to appear in novel form, and it also got a reputation because it was banned for multiple centuries and resulted in a prison sentence for the author. Being published in 1748, I can't say I'm surprised. In fact, the much more surprising thing is that books like [b:Lady Chatterley's Lover|32067|Lady Chatterley's Lover|D.H. Lawrence|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1260489197s/32067.jpg|3249302] (1928) and [b:Delta of Venus|11041|Delta of Venus|Anaïs Nin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166396277s/11041.jpg|1369571] (1977) caused such a controversy when Cleland's work had already beaten them to it two hundred years beforehand.
This is far more scandalous than [b:Lady Chatterley's Lover|32067|Lady Chatterley's Lover|D.H. Lawrence|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1260489197s/32067.jpg|3249302] and about on a par with [b:Delta of Venus|11041|Delta of Venus|Anaïs Nin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166396277s/11041.jpg|1369571]. The story is a rather disturbing (even by today's standards) tale about a fifteen year old girl who engages in sex with both men and women, participates in mutual masturbation, almost gets raped, falls into prostitution, takes part in orgies, whips a man for his sexual pleasure, and witnesses two men having anal sex only to report them to the local villagers. During this time, Fanny also manages to fall in love several times and - to give credit where it's due - does experience quite a bit of growth as a woman and as a human being.
The plot, though, is completely ridiculous, moves too fast, and ends up feeling sloppy and careless. Fanny runs from lover to lover in what feels like a bunch of short stories about sexual encounters than a full novel about a woman's sexual exploration. It must be pointed out that Cleland's portrayal of female sexuality and the ability for women to have sex for pleasure, not just to make babies or appease their husbands, seems incredibly before it's time. However, Fanny Hill is not a particularly strong character and her circumstances are often a result of where others put her, not where she takes herself.
When it comes to this kind of book, I always try and look it at from two angles and see if it delivers on either: 1) as a novel, or 2) as porn. I don't believe it delivers on the first beyond introducing the eighteenth century to the exploration of female sexuality. As for the second, well, I guess there's something for everyone stuck in here somewhere. Especially if you get hot when female genitalia is described as "clammy" and a guy's penis is described in this way: "not the play-thing of a boy, not the weapon of a man, but a maypole of so enormous a standard, that had proportions been observ’d, it must have belong’d to a young giant." Are you fanning yourself with desire? Then this is the book for you!
Okay, firstly, this is porn. Just porn. Not a great literary achievement, not something that will sit snug in your mind with the Austen and Bronte classics... PORN. It got quite a reputation for being the first pornography to appear in novel form, and it also got a reputation because it was banned for multiple centuries and resulted in a prison sentence for the author. Being published in 1748, I can't say I'm surprised. In fact, the much more surprising thing is that books like [b:Lady Chatterley's Lover|32067|Lady Chatterley's Lover|D.H. Lawrence|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1260489197s/32067.jpg|3249302] (1928) and [b:Delta of Venus|11041|Delta of Venus|Anaïs Nin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166396277s/11041.jpg|1369571] (1977) caused such a controversy when Cleland's work had already beaten them to it two hundred years beforehand.
This is far more scandalous than [b:Lady Chatterley's Lover|32067|Lady Chatterley's Lover|D.H. Lawrence|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1260489197s/32067.jpg|3249302] and about on a par with [b:Delta of Venus|11041|Delta of Venus|Anaïs Nin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166396277s/11041.jpg|1369571]. The story is a rather disturbing (even by today's standards) tale about a fifteen year old girl who engages in sex with both men and women, participates in mutual masturbation, almost gets raped, falls into prostitution, takes part in orgies, whips a man for his sexual pleasure, and witnesses two men having anal sex only to report them to the local villagers. During this time, Fanny also manages to fall in love several times and - to give credit where it's due - does experience quite a bit of growth as a woman and as a human being.
The plot, though, is completely ridiculous, moves too fast, and ends up feeling sloppy and careless. Fanny runs from lover to lover in what feels like a bunch of short stories about sexual encounters than a full novel about a woman's sexual exploration. It must be pointed out that Cleland's portrayal of female sexuality and the ability for women to have sex for pleasure, not just to make babies or appease their husbands, seems incredibly before it's time. However, Fanny Hill is not a particularly strong character and her circumstances are often a result of where others put her, not where she takes herself.
When it comes to this kind of book, I always try and look it at from two angles and see if it delivers on either: 1) as a novel, or 2) as porn. I don't believe it delivers on the first beyond introducing the eighteenth century to the exploration of female sexuality. As for the second, well, I guess there's something for everyone stuck in here somewhere. Especially if you get hot when female genitalia is described as "clammy" and a guy's penis is described in this way: "not the play-thing of a boy, not the weapon of a man, but a maypole of so enormous a standard, that had proportions been observ’d, it must have belong’d to a young giant." Are you fanning yourself with desire? Then this is the book for you!
hungerford's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lori85's review against another edition
3.0
Well, I can see why this was banned for so long - it's explicit even by our standards. These old-timey depictions of sex can be pretty funny, though.
On the other hand, Fanny is only 15-18 during the events of the book, which can be pretty squicky for the modern reader. I'm going to include a trigger warning for 18th-century human trafficking, rape, attempted rape, and dubious consent. But I was surprised by how well it handled BDSM. There was a discussion of boundaries and concern about consent, which is way more than you can say for 50 Shades of Gray.
I found this vintage paperback edition at a thrift store. It's apparently the first legal publication of Fanny Hill in the United States.
On the other hand, Fanny is only 15-18 during the events of the book, which can be pretty squicky for the modern reader. I'm going to include a trigger warning for 18th-century human trafficking, rape, attempted rape, and dubious consent. But I was surprised by how well it handled BDSM. There was a discussion of boundaries and concern about consent, which is way more than you can say for 50 Shades of Gray.
I found this vintage paperback edition at a thrift store. It's apparently the first legal publication of Fanny Hill in the United States.
lostingothicmusic's review against another edition
challenging
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75