Customer Reviews

A Feast for the Senses (Black Lace Series)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book takes us on a sexual and geographical journey. I liked the themes of the senses and the somewhat bizarre encounters Clara gets involved in. I also loved the erotic clothes and settings.

While the writing in this book is lush and descriptive, it spends very little time getting to the point. A rather loosely-ended story line, I found it unsatisfying.

I have finally been prompted to write a review. As a historian myself and fan of the author's first book 'Unhallowed Rites' I think Clara's journey through Europe and various sexual experiences is erotic and fascinating and a pretty accurate depiction of the Grand Tour. The best sexual characters (eg the boy castrato and female perfumer) are not the usual Black Lace cliches. Is all this too European - or dare I say it - too subtle for most people?

If you like history and travel and the bizarre you will like this. It takes a journey through Europe - Paris, Rome, Istanbul, Prague, Amsterdam and our heroine Clara is subjected to weird erotic encounters under the tutelage of the Count. It is also quite romantic, I thought, with evocative passages about cities and clothes. Not typical Black Lace but one to lose yourself in and enjoy...

Clara is a completely innocent, Victorian era girl. In order to save the family from financial ruin, she is about to enter into an arranged marriage. Before the marriage can take place her very odd fiance takes her on a grand tour of Europe. Along the way he teaches her about sexuality by making her explore each of the five senses in a different European city.

If the idea of being treated like a child by an overbearing, dominating man appeals to you, go ahead and try this book. Women who wouldn't enjoy the idea of being physically and mentally abused in the guise of sexuality, should take a pass on this book.

In my thought of women's errotica, I don't consider pain and overbearing machismo to be all that enthralling. The landscape and period were interesting, if not exactly historically correct. It has a tendancy toward male fantasy instead of female. I prefer my fantasy toward the loving and exploratory, yet gentle. The beatings and domination were not to my taste.

There was no connection between the main characters and the plot, what there was of it, was just plain idiotic. Historically it was pathetic. I found it totally worthless.