The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty - book discontinued by Audioworks - review by Munchkin83

I do have to say that I love Anne Rice and have always enjoyed her work! Most of you have heard of her through her bestselling book Interview With the Vampire (also a great movie!). Her Vampire Chronicles consisted of ten books (two that have been made into movies) and are considered the most well written vampire series in existance. Her first writing was in 1965 and she's still writing to this day. Anne Rice has a new book coming out in November 2010, and another that doesn't have a release date yet.

In The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty this great author used the pen name A.N. Roquelaure, a name meant to be erotic in itself. Rouquelaure was in fact a cloak designed by Count Rouqelaure in the 18th century, and Anne used it because of it's sensual meaning - 'Anne under a cloak.'

There are three books in the Beauty Series, the only 3 books she wrote under the name A.N. Rouquelaure. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty's Punishment, and Beauty's Release.

You can also find two more of her erotic works under the pen name Anne Rampling. Exit to Eden (also a movie) and Belinda were both written after the Sleeping Beauty Series and a bit calmer in nature.


"Invest in a feather duster - the possibilities are endless." - Anne Rice

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty is a very erotic take off of one of our favorite fairy tales. I would highly recommend it for reading yourself or with a lover!

Sleeping Beauty (referred to as Beauty throughout the entire book) is not awakened by her true love's kiss as we've been led to believe. The young girl who has been asleep for so many years awakes to her prince taking her virginity and sweeping her off to his kingdom to become a sex slave. His mother, the Queen, takes all princes and princesses from surrounding kingdoms and "trains" or "breaks" them until they have learned to be a great ruler by taking away their ego and pride. This seems to work for them as in the beginning you find that Beauty's parents were both slaves there when they were younger.

A hundred or more slaves are at the castle when Beauty arrives. Some posing as statues, some grinding on statues, a few serving wine, and others being punished for bad behavior. Everyone one of them is completely naked, save a few that get earrings, collars or anal plugs.

On her first day there she catches a glimpse of the gorgeous Prince Alexi, the Queen's private servant. Eventually she is able to meet him and to learn his story, but I will not give it away!

Beauty learns that she is to fully submit herself and do anything her Prince or her trainers tell her to do. This is extremely difficult to do as some of the trials are painful (many spankings) or mortifying (being strapped naked to a table where everyone is allowed to touch you). The question is, will she learn to submit or will she revolt?

With the amazing talent of Anne Rice, this book comes off as both plot-focused and sex-focused beautifully. The tale runs smoothly with no major bumps or pauses along the way. There are two other books that follow this that I am really looking forward to. Why? At the end of The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Anne Rice leaves you both satisfied and wanting more so you'll be running off to find out the rest of the story.

I can easily say I stayed aroused throughout the entire book, not just specific scenes. The action is amazingly sexual and it never stops! I wouldn't say that this book is just for people with BDSM fetishes either, but everyone. I don't practice BDSM, and my husband is not that type, but I find this an amazingly erotic! Though there is a lot of spanking and punishments, it never gets to the point of being over-the-top. There is no bloodshed, no hitting (aside from spanking) and no abuse.

Aside from BDSM (both femdom and maledom) you will see quite a bit of ephebophilia (the sexual preference of adults for mid-to-late adolescents) as most of the princes and princesses are 15 and older. Bisexuality, beastiality, and slavery are a few other fetishes found in the book. Punishments for misbehaving range from spanking, being chained to the ceiling in sexual positions with honey lathered on your privates so the flies lick at you, to satisfying anyone and everyone no matter their status. Male or female you were brought to the brink of sexual frustration then left tied up and unsatisfied for as long as possible. Princes were made to suckle the passion from multiple princes, swallowing each drop, while the other princes gave tips or thrust their sex into his anus. Princesses were touched, probed, spanked and forced to orgasm by anyone ordered to do so. You can't make it through almost an entire paragraph without some sexual reference. (Not complaining...)

Written more in the style of formal English than modern English, it's still a very easy read. There wasn't a word that I ran into that I didn't know the meaning to. The book is set in the middle ages and her writing puts you into that era, but doesn't overwhelm you.

The book is paperback and nicely put together. It reads well with or without cracking the spine and looks good either way. I personally cracked the spine to make it easier to read and it hasn't fallen apart or become trashy looking.

The artwork is beautiful and shows the erotic side of the book but with great elegance. That being said, the only place you could get away with reading it in public would be a museum where that kind of art is in abundance. Otherwise, I'd keep it at home. Sadly the only artwork is on the front cover. I would have loved to have seen more possibly at the start of chapters.

Published by Plume, a member of Penguin Putnam Inc, The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty first came out in 1983 (same year I was born). At 253 pages it makes a good sized book for everyone, and won't take forever to read. Anne Rice puts a great Chapter of Contents in the beginning that is labeled nicely so that you can quickly get to your favorite chapter without unnecessary searching.

If you've never read an erotic novel or even if you're a veteran, I'd recommend giving this book a shot. Though I warn you, if you start to like it in the beginning, order the next one before you finish it!

If you're looking for a book to read with a partner I think that this would be a great start. The chapters are not lengthy, making it a good "before bed" read. They do lengthen at the beginning, but that only helps build the suspense before sex, right?

I've read this book twice now, loving it both times! I do read it by myself as my husband is really not that into books. If I feel like getting in the mood before he gets home I'll go through a chapter or so to get myself even more worked up! It works well also to start getting you turned on before satisfying yourself as well. It's a win situation both ways!