When I was first recommended this book I was very hesitant because it has to do with a subject that I'm not very familiar with and at the time wasn't comfortable with. As soon as I started reading it though, I was HOOKED. It took me less than a week to finish and when I read the last page I was genuinely sad to be done with it.

Pauline Reage's style of writing is subtle and sexy. The book was written during a time when womens sexuality wasn't of great importance and I think that's what gave her so much passion and it really shines through in the text. The book opened my mind up to new possibilities of master and puppet and of being owned and how being submissive can be sexy. And at times the story was heart breaking. Not only is it an excellent erotic novel that will certainly make your toes curl (there were many times I had to put the book down and satisfy the ache that had been building up), it's an extremely well written story about a woman and her journey into the world of submission. The book didn't glamorize submission, in fact, it was honest even down to the nitty gritty of a submissive lifestyle including being traded by your master and being essentially branded.

It was encouraging to me that I could be so turned on by a lifestyle I was unfamiliar with. I appreciated her honesty and frankness and was quite eager to discuss certain activities with my partner. I don't know if I would have stumbled upon such an interesting addition to my bedroom life if I hadn't read this book, but I'm glad I did and I would recommend it to anyone of my friends or family members.

The Story of O will always be a classic in the erotica genre. This one in particular never gets old to me. I can read it and in a few months pick it up and read it again and still be just as turned on by it. I've actually given this book to a few of my girlfriends as a gift and it's pretty unanimous among us... it's a fantastic, sexy book.