Customer Reviews

Beautys Punishment

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I agree with the reader who similarly made the error of starting in the middle. I've spoken to another who started at the beginning and with, so far, superior results. If you attempt to read this book before the first, you aren't really indoctrinated into the fantasy nature of the work, and hence try to interpret it in a real-world mindset. I kept wondering about the economics of feeding all these slaves - what on earth were the villagers getting out of it all, why didn't they just put the slaves to work in garment factories, blah blah blah --- completely missing the point. If you are going to read this book, do yourself the favour of reading the prequel first.

It had been a year or so since I had read the first one, and after completing this installment I would strongly suggest, for continuity sake, that people do not allow that lapse of time. Recall that this is an updated erotic version of the sleeping beauty fairy tale. The Prince in this medieval version wakes Beauty from her 100-year sleep not with a kiss, but by making her a sexual initiate. This act coupled with the mores and power structures of the land force Beauty off to the Prince's distant castle where she will undergo all manner of S&M and bondage. Despite becoming a castle favorite amongst the nobles, the Prince, and the Queen herself, Beauty's spirit and `soul' is not broken by these acts and she willfully disobeys. She is sentenced to slavery in the neighboring village, and that is where this book takes up. Beauty and her final castle paramour Tristan are sold at auction in the village square, Beauty goes to an inn while Tristan is snapped up by one of the villagers richest men, the Queen's chronicler. What follows for the two are a series of spankings, public punishments, being dressed up like a pony [complete with, er, tail accoutrements] to pull carts, and being `forced' to pleasure a wide variety of lodgers, and other slaves. It should also be mentioned that the castle slaves who are sent to the village for punishment must run around bereft of clothes, and never speak unless told to. It is here that the story flags, the punishments and humiliations mount, but we are only vaguely aware of both protagonists' feelings and thoughts as this continues. Beauty gives in to it all and comes to appreciate her place, but she does not give over the love of her soul. The numerous, and I do mean numerous, spankings become banal after awhile as the reader desensitizes. I found things becoming more interesting psychologically about 5/6 of the way through when Nicolas [Tristan's master] plumbs his depths about why a slave behaves as they do, what they think of the abasement, and whether love could come from this non-egalitarian relationship. Tristan provides no shocking revelations really, and the age-old struggle for dominance and power is left as the answer. Nicolas then professes his love as Tristan's heart soars, for he, Tristan needs the discipline to complete himself. This was a rather difficult read, I can't say I particularly enjoyed it, but it was interesting on other levels. As some other reviewers have noted the plot thins considerably and all we are left with are the power struggles acted out through sex. Thankfully, things picked up a bit, as noted, towards the end. For completeists sake I begin Beauty's final chapter, as she is kidnapped from the village and taken to the Eastern realms of a Sultan.

Like the other two books of the series Beauty's Punishment puts an very erotic spin on the old fairy tale. This series was my first time reading litterature on this particular area of sexual fantasy but it was so enthralling that I couldn't put the books down once I was drawn into the world of Beauty. If you have an open mind about various aspects of sexuality this book is one not to be missed.

I didn't want to put this book down. I could stay up for hours promising my self just one more chapter, knowing that I had to be up early. I kept saying to myself....Okay; this is the last chapter. Just get to the end of it and go to bed! It's very erotic and has lots of suspense. It's one of those stories where you say, "Ohmigod! What's gonna happen now?" I am ordering the sequel now. I can't wait to get it and start reading. Ann Rice can take you to a different world if ya let her. It's amazing. I actually felt like I was with Beauty...if not her myself. I reccomend this book to anyone out there that likes an erotic novel. *****

Anne Rice was on the right track with her refreshing notion to put an erotic spin to a beloved fairy tale, yet unfortunately, fell short of my expectations. For instance, none of the characters' personalities ever quite fully developed, leaving little chance to connect with any of them. The story was flat with no spark, no passion, no ability to "feel" anything other than, "Oh, no! Not another spanking!" I give Anne 3 stars out of respect for her as an author and her clever approach, but there is so much more to erotica than beatings. For those of you who would truly love to experience erotica at it's best, I highly recommend Miranda Reigns' newly released novel, CyberWebs. Miranda's descriptive writing and vivid imagination will transport you into the heart of the story, allowing you to see, hear, smell, taste and feel all that Miranda does and has done to her.

I actually believe this book to be a great example of SOME aspects of the BDSM culture. The way that Beauty fully surrenders herself to the dominance of those surrounding her is something that I found to be truly beautiful. The book didn't just focus on the sexual aspect of BDSM, but it looked at it as a lifestyle. The submissive characters in the book were submissive all the way down to their daily chores. The book was extremely descriptive. I could feel textures, taste flavors, and revel in the upmost delicious scents. I haven't read the whole series, and I actually regret starting from the middle...I would recommend starting from the beginning because I had a sense of being slightly lost. I was curiuos throughtout the whole book as to how these creatures came to their position of submissiveness. I also love how at the end of the book, you are left hanging in an air of ecstacy and mystery. It makes one "hungry" for the next book. Mrs. Rice always has a way of doing such a thing......

I really enjoyed this book...much more so than I did the first one. I think one reason I liked it better was because of the village setting. The village people seemed more "real," and while the punishments were still degrading and dehumanizing, at least they were somewhat functional...such as cleaning, harvesting, pulling carts, etc...rather than the senseless tasks the slaves were made to perform at the castle.

I found the scenes to be much more arousing in this one than in the first. And a lot of focus was given on the internal workings of Tristan and Beauty's minds, which was very interesting. The scenes involving Tristan and his Master Nicolas are not to be missed - both the sexual and non-sexual. They are excellent.

I only wished the ending had turned out differently. I was looking forward to more development of the relationship between Nicolas and Tristan, and more scenes invloving Beauty and the Captain and Mistress Lockley. It seems they had barely gotten settled in before they were whisked away. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the final installment of this series.

If you're not sitting in a bath tub when you read this one, the sheets will get wet. I walked into this one without really reading the back of the book, and was I in for a surprise! I have let every woman that would possibly be into this read it and they agreed. I'm not kidding when I say you'll be very wet when done. And it gets better and better with each book. If you didn't like it, well, maybe you missed the point. Anne Rice writes other erotica too, check it all out! How does Price Charming wake Sleeping Beauty? By F**king her awake and it gets deeper after that.

I have been reading S&M erotica for the past 16 years and I have NEVER found any author that even comes close to her high level of literary or erotic quality. Not only does this book arouse, but it also smacks of realism. You feel as if you are REALLY there at the slave auction or the place of public punishment or the inn where Beauty is kept as a naked slave. Many S&M writers do a very poor and unprofessional job. Anne Rice is head and shoulders above ALL other writers in this genre. It is a shame that she has decided to never write any additional 'Sleeping Beauty' books or even S&M erotica of any setting. I weep over the fact that we must settle for the those writers of S&M erotica that do not have ONE HALF of her talent!

Beauty's Punishment is the continuation of The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Anne Rice's erotic retelling of the popular fairy tale. In the second installment, Beauty is punished for having rebelled against the Prince. She, along with Prince Tristan, an insubordinate slave and object of Beauty's desire, is auctioned, captivated and subjected to the most erotic, tantalizing and cruel games of domination and submission. Again, Anne Rice does an excellent job in illustrating the psychological implications of the human desire. She also does a splendid job in taking the course of the story to unexpected turns...

There are various differences between The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty and its sequel. In Beauty's Punishment, the language is less fanciful and more explicit. Also, Prince Tristan is the focal character in this book -- thus, making Beauty seem as though she were a secondary character at times. And I noticed that the erotic scenes are far steamier this time. The changes are brilliant, for it makes the story meatier -- so to speak.

I am duly impressed with Ms. Rice's ecstatic imagination and excellent prose. This is erotica at its literary best! I can't wait to know what happens to Beauty and Tristan in the conclusion of this (so far) memorable trilogy!