Story of O - erotic fiction by Ballantine Books - review by AHubbyof2SexualMinds

The "Story of O" is a classic in the BDSM world. It seems to be one of those books that people either really love or they absolutely hate. This version is an updated translation into English from the original French.

A little history on the "Story of O". Originally titled "Historie d'O," it was published in 1953 by Anne Desclos, writing under the pen name Pauline Reage. Desclos' true identity was not revealed for decades after the publication of the book. The book was published in France in the 1950's and caused a stir within the literary community. It won several awards, but also drew the ire of French authorities, who wanted to arrest the author and file obscenity charges.

The book was translated into English and became popular within the BDSM community in the 1980's and 1990's. The story is about a young photographer named O who is made into a sex slave or sorts by her lover who presents to another man for training. O's training is intense and the reader is compelled to see what happens next. I won't go into anymore details about the plot of the book because there are some surprises and I don't want to ruin it for those that do want to read the book.

"The Story of O" is a book that many within the BDSM community have strong feelings about. Many who have faults with it will note the unrealistic events that occur throughout the book and I am one of those who lost interest because I just couldn't believe some of this stuff was happening, or the speed at which it was occurring.

I personally did not like the book. O as a character was not my cup of tea, she isn't sure what she wants, but submits to these outlandish treatments because, why? I never sense that she knew what she wanting, or why she was doing what she was doing, other than the fact that the dominant at the moment was forcing it upon her. The beginning of the book set the tone off on the wrong foot for me, she is put in a cab and told to undress and presented at the door of a stranger and she did so, without any hesitation at all.

The sex scenes throughout the book can be very arousing, but I find that I need to connect with the characters more in order for me to fully enjoy those scenes. I felt little emotional attachment to O and therefore I was reading the scenes almost clinically. I was also disturbed by the extreme nature of some of these scenes. I know that this occurs in the real world, but it is something that I've never considered before. It was a book that didn't resonate with me, and when my wife tried to read it she got about a chapter in before she tossed it to me and said "No way." It just wasn't for us.

The book is well-written, with some engaging prose even through the translation. I was compelled to read further, even though I didn't have a connection with O and that does speak to the job that the author did. I also think that this is an important book in the BDSM world and people should at least give it a try when they are exploring the lifestyle. It might be something you love, it might not. Sadly it wasn't up my alley.

Not my cup of tea. It is a book that is very important in BDSM literature, but neither my wife nor I could really get into it. I tried to read it again over the Christmas holidays thinking I'd have a different reaction, but no such luck.