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A review by umbrelina
Delta of Venus by Anaïs Nin
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Delta of Venus is a collection of 15 erotic short stories, written by Nin for the private collection of an anonymous man referred to as 'The Collector'.
The most evident thing about these stories is, simply put, how taboo they are. Nin does not shy away from practically any subject - sexual assault, incest, physical violence, beastiality, pedophilia, etc. - the list is quite literally endless. So, without doubt, this is not a light read, or something someone should dive into without knowing what lies ahead. Nevertheless, I think the best way to go about analysing this collection is in a literary way. While it is impossible (and really, even if it were, this should not be done if someone wants to get the full grasp of Nin's writing) to avoid/ ignore the sometimes entirely repulsive acts which take place in these stories, there is also a lot we can gain in analysing them in a more strict sense.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, we should note the relationship between Nin and The Collector. While they never met in person, the author took a significant dislike to him. This is because he deprived her writing of what she felt was fundamental - poetry and sensuality. His request of 'no philosophy, only sex' stripped some of the stories of the chance of being something deeper than outrageous, 'clinical' ways of perceiving sex and romance. This is important to keep in mind when reading. Nin had to write for The Collector - she had little other chances of making money at the time - but that does not mean that what she wrote was exactly what she liked, and how she felt. Indeed, at times you can almost feel how restrained her writing is. Thus, perhaps in some ways this collection is more indicative of the inclination to perversion of one man, rather than Nin's perception of erotica.
It is also important to note, however, that despite The Collector's insistence, there are stories in this collection where philosophy, sensuality, and poetry shine through. I do not know if this was done consciously on Nin's behalf, or if this was merely because she could not make sex 'clinical' as was requested. Either way, there is much to be taken from some of these stories in terms of self identity, female autonomy, sexuality, and psychology.
Some stories I enjoyed more than others. For example, the first article, titled 'The Hungarian Adventurer', I could hardly digest. There is, indeed, little in that story besides disgusting acts of immorality. On the other hand, stories like 'Lilith', where we dive into a woman's sexual identity and her exploration of it in a world where she must be married to a man who does not fulfil her emotionally or sexually are much more reflective and enjoyable.
To end, this collection is one where the reader must make themselves aware of the contents and topics discussed. It is, at times, so bizarre in its violence, misogyny, and perversion that it becomes hard to carry on reading - in fact, it took me around 3 weeks of spacing stories out, despite it being quite a short book on the whole. Nevertheless, I think it is a highly important read. The importance of the discussion of sexual identities, female sexual liberation, same-sex relationships, society, etc., is impossible to overstate. And then, this is also important in the emergence of women as authors of erotica. Therefore, if one can stomach (and perhaps overlook, though not entirely disregard or ignore) the sensitive topics at hand, I highly recommend this collection, if only for their worth in the sphere of feminism and sexual identity.
The most evident thing about these stories is, simply put, how taboo they are. Nin does not shy away from practically any subject - sexual assault, incest, physical violence, beastiality, pedophilia, etc. - the list is quite literally endless. So, without doubt, this is not a light read, or something someone should dive into without knowing what lies ahead. Nevertheless, I think the best way to go about analysing this collection is in a literary way. While it is impossible (and really, even if it were, this should not be done if someone wants to get the full grasp of Nin's writing) to avoid/ ignore the sometimes entirely repulsive acts which take place in these stories, there is also a lot we can gain in analysing them in a more strict sense.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, we should note the relationship between Nin and The Collector. While they never met in person, the author took a significant dislike to him. This is because he deprived her writing of what she felt was fundamental - poetry and sensuality. His request of 'no philosophy, only sex' stripped some of the stories of the chance of being something deeper than outrageous, 'clinical' ways of perceiving sex and romance. This is important to keep in mind when reading. Nin had to write for The Collector - she had little other chances of making money at the time - but that does not mean that what she wrote was exactly what she liked, and how she felt. Indeed, at times you can almost feel how restrained her writing is. Thus, perhaps in some ways this collection is more indicative of the inclination to perversion of one man, rather than Nin's perception of erotica.
It is also important to note, however, that despite The Collector's insistence, there are stories in this collection where philosophy, sensuality, and poetry shine through. I do not know if this was done consciously on Nin's behalf, or if this was merely because she could not make sex 'clinical' as was requested. Either way, there is much to be taken from some of these stories in terms of self identity, female autonomy, sexuality, and psychology.
Some stories I enjoyed more than others. For example, the first article, titled 'The Hungarian Adventurer', I could hardly digest. There is, indeed, little in that story besides disgusting acts of immorality. On the other hand, stories like 'Lilith', where we dive into a woman's sexual identity and her exploration of it in a world where she must be married to a man who does not fulfil her emotionally or sexually are much more reflective and enjoyable.
To end, this collection is one where the reader must make themselves aware of the contents and topics discussed. It is, at times, so bizarre in its violence, misogyny, and perversion that it becomes hard to carry on reading - in fact, it took me around 3 weeks of spacing stories out, despite it being quite a short book on the whole. Nevertheless, I think it is a highly important read. The importance of the discussion of sexual identities, female sexual liberation, same-sex relationships, society, etc., is impossible to overstate. And then, this is also important in the emergence of women as authors of erotica. Therefore, if one can stomach (and perhaps overlook, though not entirely disregard or ignore) the sensitive topics at hand, I highly recommend this collection, if only for their worth in the sphere of feminism and sexual identity.