Aika rajua ja tabuisaa menoa, on varmasti kohauttanut aikoinaan mutta kohauttaisi ehkä enemmän jos ilmestyisi nyt, joskin eri syistä.

The language is rich, and the emotions and experiences are described realistically, precisely, and empathetically. However, as a reader, it is difficult to get past the relationships between many people, which in France have been more permissible or at least more common, but which from a modern perspective seem unambiguously wrong or illegal. It would be difficult to imagine it remaining a classic if the author had been a man.

In the plots, sexuality and eroticism always vary in the reverse and diverse situations of everyday life, which is definitely a plus, but there is also a lot of repetition: models and painters appear probably in every third novella.

Overall, this work has its unique charm and characteristics, but also some aspects that may cause controversy or need to be considered from different perspectives. It reflects the social and cultural background of a certain era, and at the same time, it also makes people think about the changes and development of values and moral concepts.

Who knew sex could be so boring?

The writing style employed was extremely flat and practical. It delved into technical and mechanical details, but completely lacked any semblance of emotion or nuance. It was as if one was reading a transcript of a robot monotonously describing sex.

To make matters worse, most of the short stories had no proper ending to speak of. They simply stopped. In terms of plot, they hardly had any substance to begin with. So, I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting, but the endings they did have struck me as incredibly abrupt and devoid of any sense of completion.

I think I'll firmly stick to my modern erotic romances, thank you very much. They at least manage to capture the essence and excitement of the subject matter, rather than presenting it in such a dry and unappealing manner.

Many of the stories were truly remarkable and engaging. They had the power to transport the readers to different worlds and make them feel a wide range of emotions. The characters were well-developed, and the plots were full of twists and turns that kept the readers on the edge of their seats. However, a few of the stories were a bit questionable. Their plots seemed to lack coherence, and the characters' actions were not always believable. It was as if the authors had rushed through the writing process and had not taken the time to polish and refine their work. Despite these few shortcomings, overall, the collection of stories was still a great read, and it offered something for everyone.

October 2016

Overall rating: 4/5 stars

For me, Anais Nin has been an extremely unpredictable author to read. Some of her books, such as Under a Glass Bell and Collages, I have absolutely adored. However, others, like Delta of Venus, I have loathed. And her book of essays, In Favour of the Sensitive Man, left me with a rather indifferent feeling.

After reading the first story in this collection, I was initially afraid that Little Birds would fall into the 'loathe' category. Fortunately, Nin steered clear of the pedophilic undertones in the remaining stories. Instead, she actually crafted some beautifully written narratives. She explored different ways and forms of sexuality, as well as what it means to be a sexual being.

The ratings for the individual stories are as follows:

Little Birds - 1/5 stars

The Woman on the Dunes - 3/5 stars

Lina - 3/5 stars

Two Sisters - 4/5 stars

Sirocco - 3/5 stars

The Maja - 4/5 stars

A Model - 2/5 stars

The Queen - 3/5 stars

Hilda and Rango - 4/5 stars

The Chanchiquito - 2/5 stars

Saffron - 3.5/5 stars

Mandra - 3/5 stars

Runaway - 3/5 stars