When I made the decision to review all of the books that I've read this year, I considered just holding off on finishing the Story of O until next year, just to skip it. Back when Fifty Shades of Grey first became a thing, critics said, well at least its not as bad as The Story of O, which of course meant that I had to jump an read it.
OMG you guys, I just realized that a chick wrote this book. My mind is blown.
BLOWN.
Ok, back on topic. O is a fashion photographer in Paris. Her lover Rene' drops her off at a place called Roissy, she is dropped off completely naked in the streets of Paris to go knock on a strange door. Roissy is a place that men bring women to be conditioned to be a submissive. She is beaten and "taken" by men. She is to give herself to anyone at anytime upon their request. Her permission is requested repeatedly, it's clear that she is there of her own will.
After she leaves Roissy, she continues to be in a relationship with Rene until he GIVES her to his step-brother Sir Stephen. Stephen kinds amps up the whips and torture. Eventually Rene looses interest in O and takes up with a girl with whom O has a current sexual relationship. Sir Stephen takes O to a friend of his for further training. She is whipped, branded, and her labia is pierced with a ring and chain long enough to hang a third of the way down her thigh.
Yeah.
So the apex of the story, is that O is taken to a party that is from midnight to dawn. She is naked except for an Owl mask and she is on display to those attending the party. She is very proud of her scars and burns and piercings and it seems that the folks at the party were impressed as well.
There was so much insane in this book. O isn't allowed to wear underwear or cross her legs. She is taken by any man at any time then whipped by Sir Stephen for having sex with them. It's beyond S&M in my opinion because it's her entire life. At the end of the book even Sir Stephen, who has branded his name on her, leaves her at Roissy. It's so sad.
Holy fuck there is a sequel. I will probably read this.
