Insectlectual's Updates en-US Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:04:29 -0700 60 Insectlectual's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Rating838706218 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:04:29 -0700 <![CDATA[Insectlectual liked a review]]> /
Little Birds by AnaĂŻs Nin
"If I read Anais Nin’s Little Birds some years ago or if I didn’t read so much fanfiction throughout my life, I believe I could be more affected by these short stories. I liked the way they were boldly erotic and that was their main purpose, as indicated in in the preface to my edition. It was my first encounter with Nin’s prose and I won’t risk any statements but I felt lots of honesty in the stories, I believe that the author truly enjoyed writing them, that she herself believed them to be exciting. Still, as Nin clearly put they were meant to bring her money she desperately needed, and despite the honesty I mentioned, I couldn’t shake off the feeling there was something calculated in them, to create the biggest effect in the shortest time, the artistic value be damned. And to put it just as bluntly: you can feel it. Well, my friends write much better erotica for fun.

The stories were published in late 70s but to be honest I was sure that they were written earlier when I read them. To be honest, I truly enjoyed only one of them and despite rather morbid ending it was the only one that made me flustered � The Woman on the Dunes. It was full of positive sexuality, wanted and happy for both sides, like an erotic dream with quite an interesting if bothering punch, there was simply something more to it. Others varied from rather tiring to bland, with too quick ending as if the writer had to go out and insisted on finishing the story in five minutes.

I was surprised (but maybe I shouldn’t be) by how much violence there was or at least aggression, how women were constantly “taken� and that was supposed to be most exciting � to be dominated, conquered, defeated. Sexually active and pursuing women are punished, “whores�, “savages� and generally are described so animal-like that it left a bad taste in my mouth. As did ever present racism, obsession with young, child-like women and so on� You may argue that this is just the matter of preference (with expressing sexuality, not with racism) but when you read the whole book of these stories there is a vivid image of women sexuality that emerges and that I don’t buy.

I have Delta of Venus by Nin as well and I will read it one day, I heard it is better� Let’s see one day.
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ReadStatus9208105432 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 19:28:17 -0700 <![CDATA[Insectlectual wants to read 'Theft']]> /review/show/7418328322 Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah Insectlectual wants to read Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah
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ReadStatus9208077255 Wed, 19 Mar 2025 19:20:58 -0700 <![CDATA[Insectlectual wants to read 'The Penelopiad']]> /review/show/7418309389 The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood Insectlectual wants to read The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
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ReadStatus9148749623 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:58:11 -0800 <![CDATA[Insectlectual is currently reading 'Crush']]> /review/show/7376996863 Crush by Richard Siken Insectlectual is currently reading Crush by Richard Siken
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ReadStatus9148748641 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:57:33 -0800 <![CDATA[Insectlectual is currently reading 'Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver']]> /review/show/7376996167 Devotions by Mary Oliver Insectlectual is currently reading Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver by Mary Oliver
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ReadStatus9148748004 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:57:12 -0800 <![CDATA[Insectlectual is currently reading 'Klara and the Sun']]> /review/show/7376995665 Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro Insectlectual is currently reading Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
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ReadStatus9148747843 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:57:06 -0800 <![CDATA[Insectlectual has read 'Never Let Me Go']]> /review/show/7376995551 Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Insectlectual has read Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
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UserChallenge62699767 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:56:12 -0800 <![CDATA[ Insectlectual has created a challenge to read 10 books in 2025. ]]> /user/show/145440696-insectlectual 11627 Create your own 2025 Reading Challenge » ]]> Review6962806156 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:51:05 -0800 <![CDATA[Insectlectual added 'Beautiful World, Where Are You: Chapter Sampler']]> /review/show/6962806156 Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney Insectlectual gave 4 stars to Beautiful World, Where Are You: Chapter Sampler (Kindle Edition) by Sally Rooney
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Review6972096398 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:50:49 -0800 <![CDATA[Insectlectual added 'Conversations with Friends']]> /review/show/6972096398 Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney Insectlectual gave 4 stars to Conversations with Friends (Kindle Edition) by Sally Rooney
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