Reviews with content warning for Rape - Story of the Eye

This book is seen both as French pornography and as a work of philosophical transgressive fiction. Which is it? That’s for you to decide. It uses imagery of the eye — and, as substitutes for the eye, imagery of testicles and eggs and other globular items — metaphorically throughout the book, and this emphasis makes the narrative far more focused on the eye than on the characters. Their depravity isn’t the story or a vessel for the story, really, the eye is. The shock and titillation readers may have felt a century ago feel almost blasé nowadays, making some of the intention feel thin.

TW for sexual assault, urine, gore, and unusual sex acts. I would not recommend this to a casual reader, but for those that choose to partake, you may care to read Barthes’s essay on it.

Content Warnings

dreamlander's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

j_yarbrough's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

enika's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.25

~~lowkey~~ highkey verstörend. ew. aber ig gut geschrieben??

Content Warnings

christiona's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A disturbing read! There isn't much of a story, but rather a feeling that worsens as you continue to read. The author's note at the end brings some of the scenes into perspective, which leaves you reflecting on the novel's message and the traumas that informed the author.

Content Warnings

alexiisreads's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

nugehood's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Content Warnings

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