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Vanilla Breaks
Vanilla Breaks is the autobiographical story of one man's journey into the BDSM lifestyle, written as a means to cope with the stress of having been thrust into BDSM at the deep end. In addition, it is intended to help other people who may find themselves or their partners in a similar situation, and to let them know that they are not alone. While this work details the author's emotional turmoil as a teenager, which later reignited when he discovered his wife was exploring kink with another man (and how he dealt with that revelation), it is also very explicit in describing BDSM play scenes and sexual encounters.
234 pages, Paperback
Published September 16, 2016
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About the author
David Wade
95 books6 followersDavid Wade is an artist and architect, as well as the author of Pattern in Islamic Art (Overlook Press and Studio Vista, 1976); Geometric Patterns and Borders (Wildwood House and Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982); Crystal and Dragon: The Cosmic Dance of Symmetry and Chaos in Nature, Art and Consciousness (Destiny Books, 1993); Li: Dynamic Form in Nature (Walker & Company, 2003); and Symmetry: The Ordering Principle (Walker & Company, 2006).
He lives in Wales.
from artstor.org
He lives in Wales.
from artstor.org
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 5, 2020
Let me begin by saying that this is not my typical cup of tea with regards subject matter, but it was recommended to me by a good friend. I was initially skeptical, but ended up enjoying it immensely.
The book is presented in diary form, spanning a number of years in the author's life. This provides an insight into his state of mind as a youth - apparently quite an angry and emo teenager, but also sweetly innocent. The reader is along for the ride as the writer gets introduced to things that are somewhat shocking to him (anal sex, for example), and the story illustrates his progression through life as he meets his wife, moves to a new country, and raises children. He is then faced with the shocking revelation that his wife is exploring kink with a stranger she met online (this is in the blurb, by the way, so no spoiler there).
Essentially, the story thereafter focuses on how he deals with that and what happens in the aftermath. There is a lot of anger - understandably, I guess - but he never completely loses his shit and abuses his wife (certainly not in the traditional sense). And therein lies the dilemma, both for him and for any reader unfamiliar with the BDSM lifestyle: how does inflicting pain NOT constitute abuse? It's an interesting exploration, and I think that David Wade describes this emotional turmoil quite well. He is not a natural dominant, but still tries to understand what the 'scene' is all about in order to be the best that he can be at it, since doing so could save his marriage.
The book is heartbreaking, cynical, funny and very, very ranty. I felt the guy's rage with every vitriolic attack on society, on his coming to terms with what he describes as his wife's betrayal (because she started seeing the other man behind his back) and with the ultimate outcome. The story is visceral and extremely honest - there are no holds barred in describing his adventures. I felt sympathy, and I absolutely understood his reluctance, confusion and anger. And some of the scenes described (in quite some detail, I might add!) were undeniably sexy, even to a complete vanilla like me.
Overall, a compelling and interesting read - I really wanted to know how it ended for the author and his wife.
The book is presented in diary form, spanning a number of years in the author's life. This provides an insight into his state of mind as a youth - apparently quite an angry and emo teenager, but also sweetly innocent. The reader is along for the ride as the writer gets introduced to things that are somewhat shocking to him (anal sex, for example), and the story illustrates his progression through life as he meets his wife, moves to a new country, and raises children. He is then faced with the shocking revelation that his wife is exploring kink with a stranger she met online (this is in the blurb, by the way, so no spoiler there).
Essentially, the story thereafter focuses on how he deals with that and what happens in the aftermath. There is a lot of anger - understandably, I guess - but he never completely loses his shit and abuses his wife (certainly not in the traditional sense). And therein lies the dilemma, both for him and for any reader unfamiliar with the BDSM lifestyle: how does inflicting pain NOT constitute abuse? It's an interesting exploration, and I think that David Wade describes this emotional turmoil quite well. He is not a natural dominant, but still tries to understand what the 'scene' is all about in order to be the best that he can be at it, since doing so could save his marriage.
The book is heartbreaking, cynical, funny and very, very ranty. I felt the guy's rage with every vitriolic attack on society, on his coming to terms with what he describes as his wife's betrayal (because she started seeing the other man behind his back) and with the ultimate outcome. The story is visceral and extremely honest - there are no holds barred in describing his adventures. I felt sympathy, and I absolutely understood his reluctance, confusion and anger. And some of the scenes described (in quite some detail, I might add!) were undeniably sexy, even to a complete vanilla like me.
Overall, a compelling and interesting read - I really wanted to know how it ended for the author and his wife.
August 24, 2018
I read Vanilla Breaks a couple of years ago when it first came out, on the recommendation of a friend. I enjoyed it then and (uncharacteristically) decided to re-read it. Again, I wasn’t disappointed. I’m not saying it’s a literary masterpiece, but it’s something refreshingly different from the norm. From the clever title to the author’s compelling honesty and the graphic sex scenes, it just stands out.
This book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride as Wade confides his innermost feelings and candid insights in his private diary. It’s an uncompromising rant. It’s relatable. It’s erotic but not purely for the sake of titillation. It’s a glimpse into the real world of BDSM (which is very different to the tabloid depictions). And it’s ultimately a love story, albeit an unconventional one.
Highly recommended reading.
This book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride as Wade confides his innermost feelings and candid insights in his private diary. It’s an uncompromising rant. It’s relatable. It’s erotic but not purely for the sake of titillation. It’s a glimpse into the real world of BDSM (which is very different to the tabloid depictions). And it’s ultimately a love story, albeit an unconventional one.
Highly recommended reading.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews