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moonpix's review against another edition
3.0
Very glad to be done with this, though I suspect I will be returning back to specific passages for reference. Which is to say it is an extremely unenjoyable read that nevertheless provides worthwhile context for Carter's fiction. The analysis on its own suffers from an over-reliance on Freud (doesn't everything) but when read in relation to her fiction I found her discussion of characters that lack inner lives to be particularly illuminating. The alienation of her main characters has always been striking to me, especially for a feminist writer. Still, I prefer when Carter's literary criticism takes the form of short stories, à la her writing on Poe and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Saints and Strangers. Though inevitably it does help that the source material there is much less distasteful than Sade’s is here.
imlizgen's review against another edition
challenging
informative
fast-paced
4.5
This isn’t exactly a beach read but this book gives Carter’s short stories more context. Outside of her stories it offers an intriguing look at Sade’s writings and theories of relationships which still resonate today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual violence
septan's review against another edition
4.0
Sharp and biting analysis, occasionally some questionable views. Enjoyable but (as expected) also somewhat disturbing.
agmaynard's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
Walking me through Sadeian thought, through synopsis and analysis, mostly the narratives of Justine and Juliette. This saved me from ploughing through it all since it has seemed like a bit of gap in my lifelong learning.
"One of Sade's cruellest lessons is that tyranny is implicit in all privilege. My freedom makes you more unfree, if it does not acknowledge your freedom, also."
"One of Sade's cruellest lessons is that tyranny is implicit in all privilege. My freedom makes you more unfree, if it does not acknowledge your freedom, also."