You can never un-read this book. As a youth (age 20) I attempted to read it at a lover's prompting. It's the only book I have ever thrown across the room...several times. The strong female in me chafed against the seemingly barbaric dominance of the prince and the high court. Even more disturbing was that, although my mind rebelled against every new torture, my body reacted hotly with erotic lust.

I had to find a copy...I don't really want to read it again, but I want the symbol of my growth and history sitting on my bookshelf. If you ever think that sex is boring, read this. You will come to find that what most people do is not real bondage, it is just normal sex with a few ropes. This book will push your boundaries...

Book two was so-so...I never made it through book three. It seemed recycled...dancing on the boundaries that had already been crossed again and again.

I reread this recently for a local book group. I originally gave it a lower rating, but with age I have come to appreciate a bit more about this book.

First of all, it's an erotica book unto itself. The language is oddball, the world is complete fantasy, and it's grossly politically incorrect by today's standards. I think if this was published today she would have had to make all the "princes" and "princesses" at least 18 years of age, etc, etc.

With that said, this book did it for me. What that means is, I masturbated my pants off. I masturbated to this book probably more frequently than I have for any other book. Maybe that's TMI...if so I'm sorry. But we all know we read these books to get hot so I doubt anyone is scandalized. But LITERALLY it was a stroke fest, and weirdly when I first read this twenty years ago, it was the same way.

But back then I didn't appreciate this for what it was...a very authentic exploration of the complexities and pleasures of power exchange. The whole world in this book is sex, and Roquelaure/Rice plays very deftly with shifting power and the very essence of submission. As a submissive person myself I was fascinated by the parts about letting go, about yielding and allowing yourself to be broken. I loved how the slaves were not mindless vessels but all had their own inner power or that thing that set them apart. Princess Lynette, Prince Alexi, Prince Tristan, even Beauty. The dominant characters were also shown with foibles, which made them more interesting than perfect, rigid masters.

I loved the hopelessness and dread of it all, and the constant, constant, CONSTANT paddling, fucking (and anal raping, once you get to Alexi's part of the book.) Did I mention the CONSTANT PADDLING? But what can I say, it all gets me hot.

I wouldn't read this book with some great hopes for a storyline or message (hence the four stars rather than five), but if you just want to visit a mystical, lyrical, paddle-filled world where you will read the word "buttocks" continuously and probably masturbate furiously, then this is your book. I think I'm going to have to suck up the price and buy ecopies of book 2 and 3 also. My paper books disintegrated many years ago...

I LOVED this series when I first read them. It brought forth my desires in a way that I couldn't describe or explain. I felt validated that I wasn't the only one. I learned so many new kinky sexual acts from this book. I yearned for BDSM lifestyle so much. Too bad I was a minor. Can we say, jailbait? Still, I loved this series and I think Ms. Rice was breaking grounds for all the prolific female erotic writers of today.

This story is not for those who shy away from anything remotely sexual. Hopefully the small writing "The First of the Classic Erotic Trilogy of Sleeping Beauty" would have caught your eye and stayed your hand, if so. The title and series name can lead many to mistake this as a "simple" retelling of Sleeping Beauty when it's more of an NC-17 retelling.

The story holds TPE tales of BDSM, M/M, F/F, voyeurism, humiliation ... you name it, it's probably there. The idea of "letting go and you'll be free" resonated throughout, although I don't know that I'll do my "letting go" in the ways that Beauty does during her time at the castle. Non-SSC (safe, sane and consensual) S&M stories are not my favorite, admittedly.

I completely understand how this book has ended up on GR Members' "The Worst Books of All Time" list while also appearing on a "Favorite Erotic Romance" list, however it's neither for me.

I read this to challenge myself, and challenge me it did. Within a few pages there was rape, humiliation and degradation and it only got worse from then on. Every now and then I would have to pause to take a breath in order to continue.

I was made uncomfortable, appalled and utterly disgusted. I desperately wanted to put this down but curiosity won out. How was it going to end?

The constant repetition ground down my abhorrence of some harrowing events which take place, to the point where I was almost desensitised and eventually bored by the end. Can you believe it?!

Although I understood the lesson (which usually appear in fairy tales), I can't say I appreciated or enjoyed the delivery of that lesson. I have read books that have conveyed it in a more...palatable fashion. That being said, the language was easy to read, if the content was not.

I recommend this to those not easily offended, and even if you're not, you might want to hesitate reading this anyway.

FYI, you don't have to be a prude to be shocked by this book.

Hmmm. Did I like it? Yes and no. On page 3 the prince rapes the bespelled Sleeping Beauty. This is the kindest thing anyone does for the rest of the book.

There is little thought given to logistics or reality. To have the number of princes and princesses on hand, there would have to be hundreds if not thousands of kingdoms sending 'tribute' to this kingdom. Many of the physical acts described are physically impossible. The uniform reactions to different stimuli are also laughable.

I didn't like any of the characters, I didn't like the setting, and there wasn't much plot. Was it the sex that kept me turning page after page? I don't think so. I don't equate pain and humiliation with sex. I want a strong heroine not a simpering mouse.

And yet I devoured the book in less than a day. Furthermore, I will be reading the next two books to complete the trilogy. So there must be something there I like. I'm just not sure what it is. Three stars anyway.

Erotica. Not romance
MM FM FF ménage etc

Si 50 Sombras de Grey y los tres que le siguieron eran el combo perfecto sadomasoquista y bondage, éste librito es aún peor. Pensaba encontrarme con erotismo heterosexual romántico y me encuentro con una sarta de escenas homosexuales entre un príncipe y su siervo mientras la princesa (aún más estúpida que Anastasia Steele) miraba todo como voyeurista. La verdad que terminó dándome arcadas, literalmente fue plata mal gastada, no lo pude terminar y lo dí en consignación (UNA VERGÜENZA MI CARA ESE DÍA cuando lo entregaba JAJAJA).
Entrega en Libros y Alas: 10/10/17

Anne Rice, qué decepción con tu pseudónimo...

I started reading one of Rice's Sleeping Beauty books while I was in high school and quickly realized that I was in over my head. I've tried again as an adult and all I can say is that these books should come with a warning lable telling people not to try any of the dangerous SM stuff included between the pages.

I don't think any of the practices in any of the books are Safe, Sane, or Consensual. Well, maybe an arguement could be made for some of them being consensual, but safe or sane? Forget it!

I just hope people fully realize that these books are fantasy and the techniques should NOT be tried at home.

I couldn't go past chapter one. or was it two? I forgot. It was fairly early in the book and I can't be bothered to continue the story after what I read in the first chapter.

I do not fancy reading a scene where the heroine was chained by the neck and pull her along naked, wanting her to crawl around for the public eye to see.

Moving on

Anne Rice, you perv! Writing kinky fanfiction of the Sleeping Beauty story? Oh, you! Someone ought to send a C&D!

My first erotic book
Amazing