Curious about this for awhile...

[saucyirishlass.livejournal.com]

It's been said in many places by different people that LKH's portrayal of the BDSM lifestyle is off. I know a bit more than just the basics - ah, the joys of reading - and can sort of inherently pick up that something isn't right with her depiction, but I can't really articulate it. I was just curious to hear from those who participate in the lifestyle, what they personally find offensive, frustrating, or just headdesk-worthy about LKH's portrayal. Perhaps they can help make it clearer to me why it feels amiss.

Comments

[tsubaki-ny.livejournal.com]

So much agreement. So much. And yet... this stuff is popular. So there's something about it that is speaking and appealing to a pretty effing large group. I don't know how to feel about this.

Possibly I should quit depressing myself with Amazon reviews along the lines of:

"Anita's life just keeps getting more and more complicated and i love following this is a wonderful book and those who dont like it are probably just upset she gets yet another boy toy lol however it all makes sense anita doesn't even seem like a slut she is just well... anita lol WONDERFUL BOOK A MUST READ!!!!!!!!!!!"


(This entire thread is wonderfully fascinating and informative. I had no idea about half this stuff. Good to know.)

(And come to think of it, ignorance like mine is almost assuredly why LKH gets away with this presentation of the lifestyle. Being uninformed, readers -- er, the uninformed ones, of which I'd bet there are a majority -- are perfectly inclined to accept this unflattering and exploitative stuff as true-to-life.)

[jycaegima.livejournal.com]

Is it bad that I really think most of the people still reading are following the same impulse that makes people watch car wrecks?

Honestly, I rather think that most of the people who are still enthralled with the series are young enough that any mention of sex gets a happy thumbs up.

[saucyirishlass.livejournal.com]

No, it's not bad at all. For the "haters" anyway, it seems to be the only logical reason to read anymore.

Honestly, I rather think that most of the people who are still enthralled with the series are young enough that any mention of sex gets a happy thumbs up.

That's the way it was with me when I first started the series - I started with NiC at 14. I didn't really care about good writing, I was hormonal and wanted sex. But I matured and got introduced to better reading material, and here I am on Lashouts.

I still have hope for the younger readers, that when they age and find better stuff to read, they'll wise up.

Not that they're the only ones enthralled. There was a 42 year-old woman declaring her devotion to the series on the Amazon boards. It's a snap judgement, but I'm going to say she's repressed.