Anne Rice wrote "The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty" (and its sequels) way back in the day when the loudest, strongest feminist voices were crying out against porn and erotica and BDSM as being violent objectifications of women. She wrote these books (under a pen name) in response. She wanted erotica--intense, sexy, uncompromising erotica--written by a women, from a woman's perspective, to stand as a rebuttal to the anti-porn outcry. That's why she wrote it, but these books do not belong to that time and place. They are a rich contribution to the erotica canon, if there is such a thing, and spin a lush tale of BDSM fantasy that make them modern classics.

The "Claiming of Sleeping Beauty" starts off just like the fairy tale, with a handsome prince awaking an enchanted princess, saving her and her kingdom from a ancient curse. However, the prince does not use a chaste kiss to rouse Beauty from her slumber, and when he carries her off to his kingdom, it's not to be his wife, but to be his slave. You see, the prince is heir to a kingdom that exacts tribute from surrounding kingdoms by enslaving their princes and princesses for set periods of time. "Claiming" is about Beauty's introduction to life as a slave, her love affairs and adventures in the prince's castle, and her ultimate decision to take control of her own submission, making it part of her own being and power.

The first part of this book may seem a little silly. It's unadulterated fantasy, in that none of this is meant to be emulated or believed by the logical parts of the brain. Everything is meant to stimulate lust, erotic imagination, and the darker inspirations of BDSM. However, once you accept that, things don't seem as silly. Instead, you get pulled into Beauty's story, into her struggles and desires. You wonder what will happen to her next, and if she'll pass the next test, without being really sure if you want her to. Let's face it, the punishments are pretty damned hot. I think the moment I decided that I liked this book, and that I was going to have to read the rest of the series, was at the very end. Without revealing too much, Beauty makes a decision that changes everything, and gives the reader some insight into the true depths of strength and character within her that have only been glimpsed before.