The New Intimacy

Naked Reader Book Club Discussion: Carrie's Story (April 26, 8-10 PM EST)

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Contributor: removedacnt removedacnt
Quote:
Originally posted by Emma (Girl With Fire)
Maybe I am the only one who got this impression, but I felt more that Carrie DIDN'T know what she wanted. She was eager to try new things, curious, and she knew what she liked when she got it, but she did not know, throughout much of the book ... more
Seemed to me the only thing she absolutely knew she wanted was to find out what would be around the next corner. As though she needed to open Pandora's boxes no matter what was inside them.
04/26/2011
Contributor: Miss Jenn Miss Jenn
Quote:
Originally posted by Emma (Girl With Fire)
Maybe I am the only one who got this impression, but I felt more that Carrie DIDN'T know what she wanted. She was eager to try new things, curious, and she knew what she liked when she got it, but she did not know, throughout much of the book ... more
I agree. To me, it sounded like she didn't know what she wanted. She was a bit indecisive. Throughout all of the book I remember reading her thinking to herself, "I shouldn't go", or "do I really want to do this?" and "I can walk away whenever I want". To me that doesn't sound like someone who really knows what they want, but are curious nonetheless. Even the way they met showed how unsure she was about it all.
04/26/2011
Contributor: LicentiouslyYours LicentiouslyYours
Quote:
Originally posted by removedacnt
I read it this last week, and I still can't totally wrap my mind around that type of lifestyle.



It was extremely well written. I not only "had" to finish it, but I'm thinking about getting the second ... more
I don't find it particularly realistic (I think we actually had this conversation earlier)...much like the Sleeping Beauty series by Anne Rice, I found myself actually craving emotional intimacy for the main character at the end.

And I am so totally the type who prefers the romance often (not always) be left OUT of my erotic fiction... and here it was the opposite.
04/26/2011
Contributor: VieuxCarre VieuxCarre
Quote:
Originally posted by Miss Jenn
I agree. To me, it sounded like she didn't know what she wanted. She was a bit indecisive. Throughout all of the book I remember reading her thinking to herself, "I shouldn't go", or "do I really want to do this?" and ... more
The fact that she had that inner dialogue, though, expresses what a lot of people who practice S/M in real life contemplate. I know, personally, that I think that sometimes and have thought that in the past. It's a big deal to just let go and submit to someone and trust that he/she has your best interests in mind and heart.
04/26/2011
Contributor: Miss Jenn Miss Jenn
Did I see someone say there was a 2nd book!?!?!?! Really? WHERE?! Whats it called? I GOTTA READ IT! I wanna know what happened!
04/26/2011
Contributor: Elizabeth Daniels Elizabeth Daniels
Still, ambivalence doesn't make her a victim. In fact, maybe that's what makes her *not* a victim. Victims don't consider the possibility of walking away. As long as she still *could* and *would*, she's still doing the choosing.
04/26/2011
Contributor: Kristina Wright Kristina Wright
Quote:
Originally posted by VieuxCarre
I liked the "letting go and trusting" theme in the book, but I really didn't like that it came off as a knock off of Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty series. The whole scene where they're at the manor and she's kneeling beside ... more
Interesting. I think the trope of the manor where naughty things happen is a part of a lot of classic S/M literature-- the escapist world necessary to make the fantasy possible. I haven't read the Sleeping Beauty series in years, but I felt like Carrie's voice was very different from Beauty's, so made it feel original to me.
04/26/2011
Contributor: removedacnt removedacnt
Quote:
Originally posted by Kristina Wright
Was the lifestyle too extreme for you or the idea of "pony play" too foreign? This kind of play was beyond my realm of personal comfort, but I thought the story was well-written and eye-opening.
It wasn't about personal comfort or discomfort. It was as though I was in a foreign land, and I couldn't understand why she did the things she did, because my thought processes are so completely different.

Does that make any sense?

And yet, I was intrigued. And at times, turned on.
04/26/2011
Contributor: Miss Jenn Miss Jenn
Quote:
Originally posted by VieuxCarre
The fact that she had that inner dialogue, though, expresses what a lot of people who practice S/M in real life contemplate. I know, personally, that I think that sometimes and have thought that in the past. It's a big deal to just let go and ... more
I don't practice (yet, but in the future I hope to). To me she just didn't seem 100% sure about it. I felt she didn't know if this was what she wanted, or for how long she was going to hang in there.


Personally, at the ponies, I think I might have given up. I know some people love it, but I don't get the pony stuff...
04/26/2011
Contributor: Kristina Wright Kristina Wright
Quote:
Originally posted by Miss Jenn
I got distracted. Didn't realize it was time already LOL.



I liked the book. I am not currently "active" in S/M or anything, but I found the book absolutely HOT! So much so, I am trying to find my little piece of the pie, ... more
I think that's high praise for any author! I hope Molly reads your comments!
04/26/2011
Contributor: VieuxCarre VieuxCarre
Quote:
Originally posted by Kristina Wright
Interesting. I think the trope of the manor where naughty things happen is a part of a lot of classic S/M literature-- the escapist world necessary to make the fantasy possible. I haven't read the Sleeping Beauty series in years, but I felt like ... more
It was well written, but I felt like I was reading the same story over again. Another thing that linked Sleeping Beauty in was the selling of her to another person for some time for training. That happened to Beauty at the end of the first book as a punishment and again the second book.

Not saying it's a bad book. Just saying that's how it came across to me
04/26/2011
Contributor: Miss Jenn Miss Jenn
Quote:
Originally posted by Elizabeth Daniels
Still, ambivalence doesn't make her a victim. In fact, maybe that's what makes her *not* a victim. Victims don't consider the possibility of walking away. As long as she still *could* and *would*, she's still doing the choosing.
I agree. She is not a victim. She is choosing to stay. Questioning it, but she is choosing.
04/26/2011
Contributor: Mr. & Mrs. Peg Mr. & Mrs. Peg
I didn't read the book, but I will be ghosting.
04/26/2011
Contributor: LicentiouslyYours LicentiouslyYours
Quote:
Originally posted by Emma (Girl With Fire)
Maybe I am the only one who got this impression, but I felt more that Carrie DIDN'T know what she wanted. She was eager to try new things, curious, and she knew what she liked when she got it, but she did not know, throughout much of the book ... more
You know, I agree. It's that she had the courage to "step off that cliff" into the unknown and try something that appealed to her in spite of not quite having a full idea of what was to come.
04/26/2011
Contributor: RosesThorns RosesThorns
Quote:
Originally posted by Miss Jenn
Did I see someone say there was a 2nd book!?!?!?! Really? WHERE?! Whats it called? I GOTTA READ IT! I wanna know what happened!
Oh I know, cliff hanger much??

Its called Safe Word, its here on Eden too.
04/26/2011
Contributor: sexyintexas sexyintexas
I am going to have to get this book.
04/26/2011
Contributor: VieuxCarre VieuxCarre
Quote:
Originally posted by Miss Jenn
I don't practice (yet, but in the future I hope to). To me she just didn't seem 100% sure about it. I felt she didn't know if this was what she wanted, or for how long she was going to hang in there.





Personally, at ... more
I'm not sure about 100% of things in S/M and that doesn't make me any less involved in S/M. The fact that you do consider what you're doing makes you human and not a robot. If you blindly submitted all of the time to someone who didn't have your best interest in mind it could be dangerous, hence why she constantly considered what she was doing with Jonathan.
04/26/2011
Contributor: Emma (Girl With Fire) Emma (Girl With Fire)
Quote:
Originally posted by Miss Jenn
Did I see someone say there was a 2nd book!?!?!?! Really? WHERE?! Whats it called? I GOTTA READ IT! I wanna know what happened!
Safe Word
04/26/2011
Contributor: Miss Jenn Miss Jenn
Quote:
Originally posted by RosesThorns
Oh I know, cliff hanger much??



Its called Safe Word, its here on Eden too.
Thanks, i will check it out. I got to the end and Im like -- what? Wait!? B-b-but I wanna know! dangit! lol
04/26/2011
Contributor: removedacnt removedacnt
Quote:
Originally posted by Liss
i'm new to this, can you give me some tips or a reading list? i have never been part of a book club before! lol
Here is a link to the Naked Reader Book Club blog link

We meet twice a month on Tuesdays, and discuss a specific book. Though many may not have read the book, I haven't many times, and yet there always still seems to be plenty to talk about.
04/26/2011
Contributor: Miss Jenn Miss Jenn
Quote:
Originally posted by VieuxCarre
I'm not sure about 100% of things in S/M and that doesn't make me any less involved in S/M. The fact that you do consider what you're doing makes you human and not a robot. If you blindly submitted all of the time to someone who ... more
I guess the only way of really knowing it so dive right in... right?
04/26/2011
Contributor: Kristina Wright Kristina Wright
Quote:
Originally posted by Emma (Girl With Fire)
Maybe I am the only one who got this impression, but I felt more that Carrie DIDN'T know what she wanted. She was eager to try new things, curious, and she knew what she liked when she got it, but she did not know, throughout much of the book ... more
I guess I liked that she was willing to embrace that side of herself once she experienced it.
04/26/2011
Contributor: VieuxCarre VieuxCarre
Quote:
Originally posted by Miss Jenn
I guess the only way of really knowing it so dive right in... right?
Dive in with some knowledge so you keep yourself safe
04/26/2011
Contributor: Mr. & Mrs. Peg Mr. & Mrs. Peg
Quote:
Originally posted by Kristina Wright
Was the lifestyle too extreme for you or the idea of "pony play" too foreign? This kind of play was beyond my realm of personal comfort, but I thought the story was well-written and eye-opening.
Mrs. Peg is oddly disturbed by "pony play." We watched an HBO late night thing on it and it completely ooged her out. Personally, I don't get it, but if that's what you like to do then so be it.
04/26/2011
Contributor: removedacnt removedacnt
Quote:
Originally posted by RosesThorns
Oh I know, cliff hanger much??



Its called Safe Word, its here on Eden too.
There's definitely a cliff hanger element to the ending. I'm really curious about the second book too.
04/26/2011
Contributor: sexyintexas sexyintexas
Quote:
Originally posted by VieuxCarre
Dive in with some knowledge so you keep yourself safe
True true!
04/26/2011
Contributor: Miss Jenn Miss Jenn
I found Safe Word. Nice! I cannot wait to get it!
04/26/2011
Contributor: Kristina Wright Kristina Wright
Quote:
Originally posted by Elizabeth Daniels
I'm about halfway through my copy and just wishing I'd found the author earlier. I hadn't known about her until the book club invite the other day. I particularly like the author's views on what she's written/writing -- probably ... more
I really do love Molly's voice, as well as her historicals (not erotica, but very sensual) under her real name, Pam Rosenthal. She's a gifted writer and can create a very believable world for me.
04/26/2011
Contributor: Brendada Brendada
Carrie's Story is consistently one of our top sellers and scads of ebook sales. Wonder what that means?
04/26/2011
Contributor: LicentiouslyYours LicentiouslyYours
Quote:
Originally posted by Miss Jenn
I agree. To me, it sounded like she didn't know what she wanted. She was a bit indecisive. Throughout all of the book I remember reading her thinking to herself, "I shouldn't go", or "do I really want to do this?" and ... more
I think those moments of doubt are actually pretty normal. There have been several moments since I started exploring BDSM where I have been stopped dead in my tracks by the realization of something for which I was completely unprepared. You stop and consider and decide to keep going or turn back or take a different route, so this process seemed normal to me, I guess. It's not that she doesn't know what she wants, but that she's learning more and refining her knowledge of what she wants along the way.
04/26/2011