2/52) GOTHIC TALES by Marquis de Sade translated by Margaret Crosland

So for context my only exposure to this freaky guy before this outside was watching Salo a few times (based on Sade’s 120 day’s of sodom) and the film itself leans more giallo/erotic horror than introspective and philosophical (but that’s just my humble opinion)

BUT we’re here to talk about books folks and this one was a nice surprise coming from Salo. Yes, there were the themes of utterly depraved sexuality, violence, callousness, the libertine way. But there’s also humor, love that isn’t cuckoldry or incest, forgiveness, and condemnations, both implicit and full-throated of the treatment of women in libertine society amongst whom the Marquis lived. Gothic Tales features stories containing a slew of domineering men thrusting their wives, daughters, and sisters about society as they see fit. In some stories this behavior is outright avenged (literally using the word avenged) while in others only sly intimations by the Marquis let up any of the cruelties on his female characters. Let’s not forget he was a libertine too, not a transgressive feminist, although it tickles me to think of Marquis de Sade wearing a “This is what a Feminist looks like” shirt.

Rating: 3/5 dirty dirty etoiles

So for context my only exposure to this freaky guy before this outside was watching Salo a few times (based on Sade’s 120 day’s of sodom) and the film itself leans more giallo/erotic horror than introspective and philosophical (but that’s just my humble opinion)

BUT we’re here to talk about books folks and this one was a nice surprise coming from Salo. Yes, there were the themes of utterly depraved sexuality, violence, callousness, the libertine way. But there’s also humor, love that isn’t cuckoldry or incest, forgiveness, and condemnations, both implicit and full-throated of the treatment of women in libertine society amongst whom the Marquis lived. Gothic Tales features stories containing a slew of domineering men thrusting their wives, daughters, and sisters about society as they see fit. In some stories this behavior is outright avenged (literally using the word avenged) while in others only sly intimations by the Marquis let up any of the cruelties on his female characters. Let’s not forget he was a libertine too, not a transgressive feminist, although it tickles me to think of Marquis de Sade wearing a “This is what a Feminist looks like” shirt.

Rating: 3/5 dirty dirty etoiles