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Butterfly Trilogy #1
Бътерфлай
Каква е тайната на "Бътерфлай" - най-дискретния, луксозен и изтънчен клуб в Бевърли Хилс? Прикрит зад фасадата на шикозен бутик за мъжка мода, той предлага на своята дамска клиентела да изпълни и най-съкровенните си сексуални фантазии.
Чий гений е създал този вълшебен дворец на мечтите?
Може би зад всичко това стои едно разбито сърце? И един грандиозен план за отмъщение...
Бевърли Хайленд е малко грозно патенце, което в отговор на своята голяма любов получава само унижение и болка. Но тя успява да превърне страданието в любов и красота, да стане богата, могъща и прекрасна и да накара света да ѝ се подчини. А за своите врагове тя е подготвила страшна изненада...
Чий гений е създал този вълшебен дворец на мечтите?
Може би зад всичко това стои едно разбито сърце? И един грандиозен план за отмъщение...
Бевърли Хайленд е малко грозно патенце, което в отговор на своята голяма любов получава само унижение и болка. Но тя успява да превърне страданието в любов и красота, да стане богата, могъща и прекрасна и да накара света да ѝ се подчини. А за своите врагове тя е подготвила страшна изненада...
446 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
163 people are currently reading
1898 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Harvey
28 books114 followersBarbara Wood was born on 30 January 1947 in Warrington, Lancashire, England, UK. Together with her parents and older brother, she immigrated to the United States. She grew up in Southern California and attended Los Angeles Schools. After High School, Barbara attended the University of California at Santa Barbara but left to train as a surgical technician. During this time, Barbara held numerous jobs, before she sold her first novel in 1976. A few years prior, Barbara met her husband George. To date, Barbara has written 22 books, including two under the pen name Kathryn Harvey, these books are quite different from the Barbara Wood's novels and she, her agent and editor agreed that a pen name would serve to indicate the difference. She is an international best selling author with books translated into over 30 languages. The reader is transported to exotic countries that Barbara has meticulously researched to provide her fans with a true sense of the culture and history relevant to each story. At the heart of every book, is a strong, independent woman. Currently, Barbara is busy working on her next story that will, no doubt, showcase an extraordinary heroine in an exciting and intriguing adventure.
When not writing, Barbara often takes time to enjoy the work of other authors, and that of a certain well-known martial artist, whose name is listed among the "Ten things you might not know about Barbara."
When not writing, Barbara often takes time to enjoy the work of other authors, and that of a certain well-known martial artist, whose name is listed among the "Ten things you might not know about Barbara."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 370 reviews
January 29, 2023
Reread:
Immer noch eins meiner all time favorites 😌 so gut
Immer noch eins meiner all time favorites 😌 so gut
July 24, 2018
3-1/2 stars, rounded up because this was a quick, enjoyable read
It's not easy to write a summary for this. The chapters move between the present day and women who frequent a private women's club called Butterfly, where their sexual fantasies are brought to life, and the past, where a girl named Rachel has absolutely terrible experiences, but never loses her fighting spirit. The present-day portion sounds a bit tawdry and cheap, but all of the women have reasons why they need a male brothel, so it actually worked pretty well for me. There's sex, but most of it is very vague, so this isn't a particularly titillating story.
It's also not a book I would ever have picked up on my own, but my goddaughter worked in a used bookstore for a while and this showed up there. She wasn't sure who would want to read it, so, since my tastes are obviously all over the place, she gave it to me.
The copy I have is a paperback published in 2012, but I kept thinking, "This really reminds me of Scruples in the way it's written and how it feels." And when I looked it up, sure enough, it was first published in the mid-70's, and the style is very much from that time. Weirdly, though, aside from the lack of cell phones and Google, the book didn't feel particularly dated to me.
I enjoyed all the threaded stories, especially Rachel's, even though it was very easy to see to from very early on who she was going to turn out to be. My one complaint is that by the end of the book, I was a bit tired of so many story lines, and it all ended up being just a bit too long. I could have lived without a good 100 pages of this.
But overall, this was an unusual take on female empowerment, woven together mostly brilliantly, and was a surprisingly fast read for me considering how long it is. I was surprised by how much I liked it. All of the characters were engaging, and all of their journeys were (mostly) believable and satisfying. There are some fairy tale elements, but they weren't overdone and helped keep the story from drowning in seriousness. Very mild spoiler:
I am including the following Trigger Warning list, though, because this book does have a gritty side to it and there are a number of issues that keep popping up throughout the narrative.
Trigger Warnings:
Rape
Pretend Rape
Forced Prostitution
Forced Abortion
Domestic Violence
Emotional Abuse
Huckster Preachers
It's not easy to write a summary for this. The chapters move between the present day and women who frequent a private women's club called Butterfly, where their sexual fantasies are brought to life, and the past, where a girl named Rachel has absolutely terrible experiences, but never loses her fighting spirit. The present-day portion sounds a bit tawdry and cheap, but all of the women have reasons why they need a male brothel, so it actually worked pretty well for me. There's sex, but most of it is very vague, so this isn't a particularly titillating story.
It's also not a book I would ever have picked up on my own, but my goddaughter worked in a used bookstore for a while and this showed up there. She wasn't sure who would want to read it, so, since my tastes are obviously all over the place, she gave it to me.
The copy I have is a paperback published in 2012, but I kept thinking, "This really reminds me of Scruples in the way it's written and how it feels." And when I looked it up, sure enough, it was first published in the mid-70's, and the style is very much from that time. Weirdly, though, aside from the lack of cell phones and Google, the book didn't feel particularly dated to me.
I enjoyed all the threaded stories, especially Rachel's, even though it was very easy to see to from very early on who she was going to turn out to be. My one complaint is that by the end of the book, I was a bit tired of so many story lines, and it all ended up being just a bit too long. I could have lived without a good 100 pages of this.
But overall, this was an unusual take on female empowerment, woven together mostly brilliantly, and was a surprisingly fast read for me considering how long it is. I was surprised by how much I liked it. All of the characters were engaging, and all of their journeys were (mostly) believable and satisfying. There are some fairy tale elements, but they weren't overdone and helped keep the story from drowning in seriousness. Very mild spoiler:
I am including the following Trigger Warning list, though, because this book does have a gritty side to it and there are a number of issues that keep popping up throughout the narrative.
Trigger Warnings:
Rape
Pretend Rape
Forced Prostitution
Forced Abortion
Domestic Violence
Emotional Abuse
Huckster Preachers
July 17, 2016
4 "An Empire Built to Destroy Another" for the story and 4.5 Stars for the narration!
The best phrase to describe this epic saga that spans decades and transcends dozens of interconnected lives is: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Lovers of deep meticulous revenge plots will love the message of this novel. Moreover, this novel will leave you with a very strong feeling of female empowerment.
As I mostly read and listen to romance titles, I do want to note that Butterfly reads more like historical fiction (taking place in the US in the 60s/70s/80s) and women's literature than romance. However, for those romantic suspense lovers who love to dig deep into plots and character evolvement, Butterfly will satisfy the most inquisitive of minds. One additional caveat is worth mentioning. Butterfly deals with some darker subjects like physical and mental abuse, adultery, and rape. Interestingly, however, this is not a story about a BDSM club--which had been my original impression going in. Instead this is a story about how and why a very exclusive, private club where women's fantasies are catered to was built and how it affected the lives of several of its patrons.
Among the exclusive clientele of the Butterfly Club are a lawyer (Jessica), a surgeon (Linda), and a luxury pool builder (Trudie). All are extremely successful women and all have very special reasons for needing a place like Butterfly where their secret desires can be catered to or where they can be free to let go of their particular inhibitions and fears in order to experience pleasure. This story will take you through each woman's successes, quandaries, and how and why they find themselves at Butterfly as well as how Butterfly ultimately changes each.
But who built Butterfly and why? And just who is instrumental in this intricate plot and why? This is a much longer story which will take you to some heart wrenching places before ultimately vindication reigns.
Rounding out this intriguing saga is the talented narration by Laura Jennings. This was my first experience with Ms. Jennings and I was impressed. Ms. Jennings creates unique voices for each one of the many characters. Not only does she create genuine sounding female and male characters, but even within a particular gender she manages to create distinguishable differences with accents and intonations. And from her Southern accent to her Mexican American one, each renders the story that Kathryn Harvey has penned that much more tangible and real.
Ms. Jennings also pays close attention to the timing of her delivery. From the high suspense scenes to the more sensual ones, Ms. Jennings delivers each with maximum effect to heightening the particular mood being created by the book.
All in all, I highly enjoyed the suspense and detailed plot of Butterfly. This story is part of a trilogy, and I can't wait to see what new adventures await in Stars (Book 2 in the Butterfly trilogy).
Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
The best phrase to describe this epic saga that spans decades and transcends dozens of interconnected lives is: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Lovers of deep meticulous revenge plots will love the message of this novel. Moreover, this novel will leave you with a very strong feeling of female empowerment.
As I mostly read and listen to romance titles, I do want to note that Butterfly reads more like historical fiction (taking place in the US in the 60s/70s/80s) and women's literature than romance. However, for those romantic suspense lovers who love to dig deep into plots and character evolvement, Butterfly will satisfy the most inquisitive of minds. One additional caveat is worth mentioning. Butterfly deals with some darker subjects like physical and mental abuse, adultery, and rape. Interestingly, however, this is not a story about a BDSM club--which had been my original impression going in. Instead this is a story about how and why a very exclusive, private club where women's fantasies are catered to was built and how it affected the lives of several of its patrons.
Among the exclusive clientele of the Butterfly Club are a lawyer (Jessica), a surgeon (Linda), and a luxury pool builder (Trudie). All are extremely successful women and all have very special reasons for needing a place like Butterfly where their secret desires can be catered to or where they can be free to let go of their particular inhibitions and fears in order to experience pleasure. This story will take you through each woman's successes, quandaries, and how and why they find themselves at Butterfly as well as how Butterfly ultimately changes each.
But who built Butterfly and why? And just who is instrumental in this intricate plot and why? This is a much longer story which will take you to some heart wrenching places before ultimately vindication reigns.
Rounding out this intriguing saga is the talented narration by Laura Jennings. This was my first experience with Ms. Jennings and I was impressed. Ms. Jennings creates unique voices for each one of the many characters. Not only does she create genuine sounding female and male characters, but even within a particular gender she manages to create distinguishable differences with accents and intonations. And from her Southern accent to her Mexican American one, each renders the story that Kathryn Harvey has penned that much more tangible and real.
Ms. Jennings also pays close attention to the timing of her delivery. From the high suspense scenes to the more sensual ones, Ms. Jennings delivers each with maximum effect to heightening the particular mood being created by the book.
All in all, I highly enjoyed the suspense and detailed plot of Butterfly. This story is part of a trilogy, and I can't wait to see what new adventures await in Stars (Book 2 in the Butterfly trilogy).
Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2011
I don't usually put my "trashy" reading books on my book count, so when I picked up this one earlier this week I didn't bother putting it up on this site. I read this for the first time when I was a teenager, as it was one of the random books around in my house at the time, but I only had a vague memory of how it played out. The book is MUCH better than I remembered, with a good story that spans decades providing the framework for the private club that provides the book with its name. Butterfly is a secret club that caters to women's desires at a steep cost, providing not only discreet and handsome Companions to serve their whims, but amazingly appointed rooms and situations to carry out their fantasies. The "current day" portion of the book covers four women who visit Butterfly for their own reasons, following not only the encounters they have there but also how they learn from them for their own lives. The story of the owner of Butterfly comes out slowly, via chapters set throughout her life interspersed with the "current day" stories, and the weaving of the timelines is very well done. There is a lot to go through in this book, from forced prostitution and abortion to standing up for oneself against a dismissive spouse or overcoming preconceived notions of what someone might be. The end of the story is amazing and very well done, and while I've now learned there is a sequel of some sort, I have no idea how it would be done. The characters span the range from sympathetic to hated, and the descriptions are detailed but not overly done. While the titular Butterfly club does lead to sexual scenes, they are not deeply graphic and while I would rate the book as an "R" rating, that is more for some of the themes covered than for the sexual scenes themselves. I'm glad I reread the book, and pleased that the depth and layering of the story turned out to be so much better than what I remembered.
September 22, 2018
4,5 🌟
Sencillamente genial! Una historia que tiene de todo. Historias sobre las relaciones y lo que buscamos en ellas. Una historia de venganza al mejor estilo de El Conde de Montecristo... vaya que si la he disfrutado...
Me han encantado los personajes y sus historias de superación y descubrimiento.
100% recomendada - Comenzaré de una vez con la segunda parte
Sencillamente genial! Una historia que tiene de todo. Historias sobre las relaciones y lo que buscamos en ellas. Una historia de venganza al mejor estilo de El Conde de Montecristo... vaya que si la he disfrutado...
Me han encantado los personajes y sus historias de superación y descubrimiento.
100% recomendada - Comenzaré de una vez con la segunda parte
July 6, 2012
My review was originally posted on my blog {Dive} Under the Cover...
I loved this book, there is no other way to start this review. It was written in 1988, but really other than the lack of things like cell phones, laptops, etc...you would never know it. I devoured this 500 page book in less than a 36 hour period, so for me that's probably about 5 hours of reading give or take. I couldn't put it down, I just had to know what was going to happen next!
The author does such a great job with the set up, really she weaves the set up all though the story so you don't really know who is who until the middle of the book. It starts off with the Prologue, which is essentially the end of the story, but no hint of who is who. She expertly weaves the present with the past to create an incredible story of female empowerment and revenge.
I don't want to post any spoilers because this is just such a fantastic story that it would be a shame to ruin any of it at all. In the present we have 3 women who for whatever reasons are having trouble with their intimate lives. They seek out Butterfly, which is a "boutique" fantasy service for women who can afford to pay for it. It's all completely anonymous which, obviously, adds to the appeal. As the story progresses we get to know each of these women and why they feel the need to use this type of service.
Very early on we are introduced to Beverly, she is a part of the society crowd in Hollywood. Her story unfolds as the book goes on. We get to know her little by little, but it's just enough to keep you intrigued. We also learn that she is a major financial backer for a TV Evangelist in his bid for the Presidency. I love how she describes the Evangelist, it's exactly how I pictured them when there were so many back in the 80's and 90's with such scandal surrounding them.
The other main character in the story is Rachel and she is the most intriguing as her story is told mostly in the scenes from the past. Her story starts when she is just an adolescent living with her parents in a trailer park in New Mexico in the 1950's. As her story unfolds you begin to see how she fits into the story being told in the present, but really she is the main character of the book and she is phenomenal.
This story is all about revenge and women taking charge of their own lives.
Some would label this a "Trashy" Novel, and maybe in 1988 it was, but it certainly isn't by today's standards. To me this was a cross between Danielle Steele and the better parts of Jackie Collins. It's a nice mixture that makes for a very good read. Kathryn Harvey sure can tell a story! Her writing was just a joy to read and I know that I am going to be seeking out more of her books.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good mixture of things in their books. This isn't really a romance, lovey-dovey book. It's more of a mystery than anything, there are elements of romance, mystery, intrigue. It's hard to explain, but it's definitely not your typical romance novel.
I loved this book, there is no other way to start this review. It was written in 1988, but really other than the lack of things like cell phones, laptops, etc...you would never know it. I devoured this 500 page book in less than a 36 hour period, so for me that's probably about 5 hours of reading give or take. I couldn't put it down, I just had to know what was going to happen next!
The author does such a great job with the set up, really she weaves the set up all though the story so you don't really know who is who until the middle of the book. It starts off with the Prologue, which is essentially the end of the story, but no hint of who is who. She expertly weaves the present with the past to create an incredible story of female empowerment and revenge.
I don't want to post any spoilers because this is just such a fantastic story that it would be a shame to ruin any of it at all. In the present we have 3 women who for whatever reasons are having trouble with their intimate lives. They seek out Butterfly, which is a "boutique" fantasy service for women who can afford to pay for it. It's all completely anonymous which, obviously, adds to the appeal. As the story progresses we get to know each of these women and why they feel the need to use this type of service.
Very early on we are introduced to Beverly, she is a part of the society crowd in Hollywood. Her story unfolds as the book goes on. We get to know her little by little, but it's just enough to keep you intrigued. We also learn that she is a major financial backer for a TV Evangelist in his bid for the Presidency. I love how she describes the Evangelist, it's exactly how I pictured them when there were so many back in the 80's and 90's with such scandal surrounding them.
The other main character in the story is Rachel and she is the most intriguing as her story is told mostly in the scenes from the past. Her story starts when she is just an adolescent living with her parents in a trailer park in New Mexico in the 1950's. As her story unfolds you begin to see how she fits into the story being told in the present, but really she is the main character of the book and she is phenomenal.
This story is all about revenge and women taking charge of their own lives.
Some would label this a "Trashy" Novel, and maybe in 1988 it was, but it certainly isn't by today's standards. To me this was a cross between Danielle Steele and the better parts of Jackie Collins. It's a nice mixture that makes for a very good read. Kathryn Harvey sure can tell a story! Her writing was just a joy to read and I know that I am going to be seeking out more of her books.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good mixture of things in their books. This isn't really a romance, lovey-dovey book. It's more of a mystery than anything, there are elements of romance, mystery, intrigue. It's hard to explain, but it's definitely not your typical romance novel.
July 24, 2012
Let me start off by saying that Kathryn Harvey's Butterfly is an excellent, EXCELLENT read and I am very happy to have been able to read and review it! I went into Butterfly having already bunched it into a certain clique of books (BAD, CANDACE!) Google it and you will find Butterfly in the same sentence as Fifty Shades of Grey, with words like erotica thrown around every which way. So I thought to myself, "OK, I'm ready for an erotic tale of romance, sex, romance, sex, and then true love winning out in the end." STOP RIGHT THERE! I couldn't have been more wrong if I tried. While some may classify Butterfly in the erotica genre, or suggest that you read it if you liked Fifty Shades, it is SO much more. Butterfly is a well written novel, with believable characters and a strong plot.
Kathryn Harvey's Butterfly is a story about life. Past regrets, lost love, hardships, success, revenge... If you picked up Butterfly looking for a romantic, touchy feely, chic lit novel, you have the wrong book. It is SO much more than that. Butterfly follows the life of Rachel, who during her first 16 years of life suffers from abuse, rape, prostitution, and a forced abortion. Let me be clear, Butterfly deals with hard subjects. The book follows Rachel for 35 years as she works extremely hard to earn money, prestige, and power. She feels that she needs to have power and influence in order to reach a place where she can exact her revenge upon Danny Mackay. Danny was the one person in Rachel's life that she thought she could count on, however he ended up hurting her the most. Every step she takes through adulthood is a calculated, thought out move in order to bring herself closer to seeing the downfall of Danny.
Interwoven between the present day chapters are chapters detailing Rachel's past. However, Butterfly isn't just about Rachel, it also tells the story of a few other women. All are from different walks of life, but each have something missing in their personal lives. Jessica is a victorious, married lawyer; Trudie is a successful business owner who happens to be single; Linda is a twice divorced doctor. To fill the voids in their lives, these women find themselves members of a secretive Hollywood bordello- Butterfly. I found it very rewarding to see how all of the characters and Butterfly fit together as the story evolved. Harvey also threw me for some major loops. Just when I thought I had recovered from the last surprise, a bigger twist would be introduced.
I truly loved Butterfly; the characters and smart writing especially. Harvey succeeded in creating a touching story that left me wanting more. Luckily, the second book, Stars, is out and waiting to be read. Butterfly has found a place on the highly coveted Top Shelf of my bookcase; reserved only for the books I truly appreciate.
If you are looking for a great summer read, Butterfly is for you. I highly recommend it (in fact, my Mom is currently devouring it on her Kindle!) Kathryn Harvey's Butterfly is not a novel to miss!
Turner Publishing has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, Butterfly, for the purpose of review.
Kathryn Harvey's Butterfly is a story about life. Past regrets, lost love, hardships, success, revenge... If you picked up Butterfly looking for a romantic, touchy feely, chic lit novel, you have the wrong book. It is SO much more than that. Butterfly follows the life of Rachel, who during her first 16 years of life suffers from abuse, rape, prostitution, and a forced abortion. Let me be clear, Butterfly deals with hard subjects. The book follows Rachel for 35 years as she works extremely hard to earn money, prestige, and power. She feels that she needs to have power and influence in order to reach a place where she can exact her revenge upon Danny Mackay. Danny was the one person in Rachel's life that she thought she could count on, however he ended up hurting her the most. Every step she takes through adulthood is a calculated, thought out move in order to bring herself closer to seeing the downfall of Danny.
Interwoven between the present day chapters are chapters detailing Rachel's past. However, Butterfly isn't just about Rachel, it also tells the story of a few other women. All are from different walks of life, but each have something missing in their personal lives. Jessica is a victorious, married lawyer; Trudie is a successful business owner who happens to be single; Linda is a twice divorced doctor. To fill the voids in their lives, these women find themselves members of a secretive Hollywood bordello- Butterfly. I found it very rewarding to see how all of the characters and Butterfly fit together as the story evolved. Harvey also threw me for some major loops. Just when I thought I had recovered from the last surprise, a bigger twist would be introduced.
I truly loved Butterfly; the characters and smart writing especially. Harvey succeeded in creating a touching story that left me wanting more. Luckily, the second book, Stars, is out and waiting to be read. Butterfly has found a place on the highly coveted Top Shelf of my bookcase; reserved only for the books I truly appreciate.
If you are looking for a great summer read, Butterfly is for you. I highly recommend it (in fact, my Mom is currently devouring it on her Kindle!) Kathryn Harvey's Butterfly is not a novel to miss!
Turner Publishing has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, Butterfly, for the purpose of review.
September 9, 2011
I read this book after my first boyfriend and I ended our relationship. While I've seen others write that this book is not really erotica or that it's about a poor making it rich story, I'm not really interested in classifying it as either. I flagged this as erotica only because of the women being satisfied by a club catering to their sexual tastes.
Warning! ~ this is where it gets personal
The reason why I rated this book with 5 stars is because even after close to 20 years, I still remember this book and it had a profound impact in my life. At just past 16 I experience my first bad break up in a relationships. As a teen, everything feels more intense. I was pretty messed up over it and my self esteem had taken a terrible trampling. While I wasn't exactly suicidal, I was homicidal at times. I was so angry and I couldn't get out of the cycle.
By chance, I found this book at a used bookstore. The women being pleased was what caught my eye. It opened up a new world for me. It let me know that there were other females out there who have felt as I did. Even better, they did something about it. They never let it set them back. They didn't use it as an excuse to become a shadow of what they could become or settle for something less. Butterfly relayed to me, that a woman could make stupid mistakes but still overcome them. With enough hard work and applying herself and forgiving herself, she can ultimate earn what she wants. While I understand this is a work of fiction, I internalized it. It helped me pull myself out of a funk and roughly 2 decades later, I assess where I am compared to my bruised 16 year old self. I'm successful and happy. Who knows where that asshole ex-bf is? And now, who cares? HAH.
For me, this book was a life changing event and a defining moment in my life. For me, it was personal and touched me. I recommend this book to other women who have experienced unfortunate circumstances and think it will never get better. I'm here to tell you, yes it will. Don't let those bastards win! Your success and overcoming them makes them lose.
Warning! ~ this is where it gets personal
The reason why I rated this book with 5 stars is because even after close to 20 years, I still remember this book and it had a profound impact in my life. At just past 16 I experience my first bad break up in a relationships. As a teen, everything feels more intense. I was pretty messed up over it and my self esteem had taken a terrible trampling. While I wasn't exactly suicidal, I was homicidal at times. I was so angry and I couldn't get out of the cycle.
By chance, I found this book at a used bookstore. The women being pleased was what caught my eye. It opened up a new world for me. It let me know that there were other females out there who have felt as I did. Even better, they did something about it. They never let it set them back. They didn't use it as an excuse to become a shadow of what they could become or settle for something less. Butterfly relayed to me, that a woman could make stupid mistakes but still overcome them. With enough hard work and applying herself and forgiving herself, she can ultimate earn what she wants. While I understand this is a work of fiction, I internalized it. It helped me pull myself out of a funk and roughly 2 decades later, I assess where I am compared to my bruised 16 year old self. I'm successful and happy. Who knows where that asshole ex-bf is? And now, who cares? HAH.
For me, this book was a life changing event and a defining moment in my life. For me, it was personal and touched me. I recommend this book to other women who have experienced unfortunate circumstances and think it will never get better. I'm here to tell you, yes it will. Don't let those bastards win! Your success and overcoming them makes them lose.
July 15, 2012
Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
Butterfly is an exclusive club for ‘lonely’ women, concealed within the confines of a high-end Beverly Hills men’s shop. Successful doctor Linda, high-powered attorney Jessica, and swimming pool contractor Trudie, are all members. Each is looking for that elusive something that will make their lives complete. Each of these women are successful in their professions, at a time when these are male dominated areas. But who is the driving force behind Butterfly, and why? That is the real story here, and it is one of betrayal, determination and ultimately, of revenge. It is the story of Rachel Dwyer, and how far she will go to right the wrongs done to her.
This book is a fascinating look at the lengths one smart and determined woman will go to, in order to cause the utter humiliation of the one person who ruined her life. The various threads of what Butterfly is, what the three women, Jessica, Trudie and Linda have in common and who is behind it all are woven together with intricate care and detail, and encompassing more than three decades in the life of the main character orchestrating it all. Above all, this is the story of Rachel Dwyer and Danny McKay, and how things can go so terribly wrong sometimes.
This book begins in the late seventies, at Butterfly, with the women who want to fulfill their fantasies and feel something. Linda is looking for that elusive thing, an orgasm, after two husbands have called her frigid; she needs to explore herself and discover why. Trudie lives for her visits to Butterfly, not understanding why her Saturday night pick-ups don’t measure up to what she has at the club. And Jessica, powerful and successful as an attorney to the rich, powerful and famous, just wants someone to see her for the strong woman she is, not the inept and inconsiderate person her husband considers her. Each of these women discovers the cause of her particular difficulty and is finally able to move on, thanks to the men of Butterfly.
In this book, we meet Rachel when she is an impressionable fourteen year old, and she is already aware that she is quite unattractive, almost ugly in fact. When her father comes home drunk, he decides to try and have sex with her, but her mother knocks him out with a skillet and tells Rachel she needs to get away while she can, and thus begins Rachel’s journey through life. She meets and falls for Danny, but he sees her as just a means to an end. He takes her to a west Texas brothel, and sets her up with the madam, where even someone who looks like Rachel will be able to earn her keep. Two years later, Rachel is still there but Danny is moving on to bigger and better things, and finally tells her just what he really thinks of her, tossing her out on the side of the road, bleeding, after a botched abortion. This is where it really starts getting good.
Rachel is highly intelligent, and extremely motivated. She reinvents herself, and becomes Beverly Highland, one of the most powerful women in Hollywood by the time she is thirty. I loved watching as Rachel/Beverly recreated herself, all for the purpose of bringing Danny McKay down. Everything she does is with one single goal; find a way to raise Danny McKay up as high as she can, just so she can destroy his life. I like Rachel’s strength of character, something she held onto no matter what life threw in her path. I also liked that she never forgot her friends, and was able to help them turn their lives around.
Danny McKay is a scheming and egotistic man, always looking for ways to trick or cheat his way to the top. He becomes one of the most popular and well loved evangelists, with millions of followers, based in part on the miracle he performed early in his career: bringing a man back to life during one of his huge revivals. He is sneaky, and will dispose of anyone who stops serving his purpose. It is this very trait that will bring Danny down, because every person he carelessly discards is then helped by Rachel and all of them become pawns in her war to destroy Danny.
This may sound like there are no happy ever afters in this one, but you would be wrong. The way Ms. Harvey has woven the threads here to bring happy endings for Jessica, Trudie and Linda, and even a happy ending for Rachel/Beverly. It is a story that spans the period from the Great Depression of the thirties through to the seventies, and I found it fascinating that the turning point in so many lives here was the death of President John F. Kennedy, tragic though that was. If you are looking for a fascinating and intriguing trip trough the past, and the motivations behind what people will do to each other, I highly recommend Butterfly.
Butterfly is an exclusive club for ‘lonely’ women, concealed within the confines of a high-end Beverly Hills men’s shop. Successful doctor Linda, high-powered attorney Jessica, and swimming pool contractor Trudie, are all members. Each is looking for that elusive something that will make their lives complete. Each of these women are successful in their professions, at a time when these are male dominated areas. But who is the driving force behind Butterfly, and why? That is the real story here, and it is one of betrayal, determination and ultimately, of revenge. It is the story of Rachel Dwyer, and how far she will go to right the wrongs done to her.
This book is a fascinating look at the lengths one smart and determined woman will go to, in order to cause the utter humiliation of the one person who ruined her life. The various threads of what Butterfly is, what the three women, Jessica, Trudie and Linda have in common and who is behind it all are woven together with intricate care and detail, and encompassing more than three decades in the life of the main character orchestrating it all. Above all, this is the story of Rachel Dwyer and Danny McKay, and how things can go so terribly wrong sometimes.
This book begins in the late seventies, at Butterfly, with the women who want to fulfill their fantasies and feel something. Linda is looking for that elusive thing, an orgasm, after two husbands have called her frigid; she needs to explore herself and discover why. Trudie lives for her visits to Butterfly, not understanding why her Saturday night pick-ups don’t measure up to what she has at the club. And Jessica, powerful and successful as an attorney to the rich, powerful and famous, just wants someone to see her for the strong woman she is, not the inept and inconsiderate person her husband considers her. Each of these women discovers the cause of her particular difficulty and is finally able to move on, thanks to the men of Butterfly.
In this book, we meet Rachel when she is an impressionable fourteen year old, and she is already aware that she is quite unattractive, almost ugly in fact. When her father comes home drunk, he decides to try and have sex with her, but her mother knocks him out with a skillet and tells Rachel she needs to get away while she can, and thus begins Rachel’s journey through life. She meets and falls for Danny, but he sees her as just a means to an end. He takes her to a west Texas brothel, and sets her up with the madam, where even someone who looks like Rachel will be able to earn her keep. Two years later, Rachel is still there but Danny is moving on to bigger and better things, and finally tells her just what he really thinks of her, tossing her out on the side of the road, bleeding, after a botched abortion. This is where it really starts getting good.
Rachel is highly intelligent, and extremely motivated. She reinvents herself, and becomes Beverly Highland, one of the most powerful women in Hollywood by the time she is thirty. I loved watching as Rachel/Beverly recreated herself, all for the purpose of bringing Danny McKay down. Everything she does is with one single goal; find a way to raise Danny McKay up as high as she can, just so she can destroy his life. I like Rachel’s strength of character, something she held onto no matter what life threw in her path. I also liked that she never forgot her friends, and was able to help them turn their lives around.
Danny McKay is a scheming and egotistic man, always looking for ways to trick or cheat his way to the top. He becomes one of the most popular and well loved evangelists, with millions of followers, based in part on the miracle he performed early in his career: bringing a man back to life during one of his huge revivals. He is sneaky, and will dispose of anyone who stops serving his purpose. It is this very trait that will bring Danny down, because every person he carelessly discards is then helped by Rachel and all of them become pawns in her war to destroy Danny.
This may sound like there are no happy ever afters in this one, but you would be wrong. The way Ms. Harvey has woven the threads here to bring happy endings for Jessica, Trudie and Linda, and even a happy ending for Rachel/Beverly. It is a story that spans the period from the Great Depression of the thirties through to the seventies, and I found it fascinating that the turning point in so many lives here was the death of President John F. Kennedy, tragic though that was. If you are looking for a fascinating and intriguing trip trough the past, and the motivations behind what people will do to each other, I highly recommend Butterfly.
January 20, 2013
Bu yorum 5. ÜKG Blog Tur çerçevesinde
Kitap Hayvanı'nın Günlüğü
'nde yayınlandı.
Öncelikle belirtme gereği duyuyorum ki, Kelebek sanıldığı gibi Fifty Shades ve benzeri kitaplara benzemiyor. Tamam, yalan söylemeyeceğim; ilk başta ben de öyle sanmıştım. Ancak hem yayınevinin söylemi üzerine hem de okuduğum yorumlardan sonra öyle olmadığını düşünmeye başladım. Ta ki kitabı okuyana kadar. O zaman erotic romance diye bildiğimiz, yani cinsellik üzerine kurulu aşkı anlatan kitaplara hiç de benzemediğini anladım.
Kelebek, sıradan bir aşk romanı değil. Bu bir intikam hikâyesi. Aynı zamanda kadınların fantezilerini gerçekleştirmelerinin hikâyesi.
Kelebek, Beverly Hills'teki bir erkek giyim mağazasının üzerinde özel bir kulüp. Bu kulüpte farklı bir hizmet veriliyor. Üye olan kadınlar, seçtikleri erkeklerle istedikleri fanteziyi gerçekleştirebiliyorlar. İster Mary Antoinette oluyor, ister bir kovboyla istedikleri şekilde birlikte oluyorlar. Seçenekler ve kaynaklar sınırsız.
Kelebek'in müdavimlerini anlatarak başlıyor kitap. İlk başta bu karakterler arası geçişler biraz (ama çok az) kafa karıştırıcı olsa da gidişat iyi toparlanıyor. Dört kadın var kitapta. Ünlü bir avukat olan Jessica, aşkı bulmayı kafaya koymuş inşaatçı Trudie, yaralı bir doktor Linda. Ve bir de Rachel Dywer var.
Rachel, henüz on dört yaşındayken hayatın pislikleriyle tanışmak zorunda kalmış. Berbat bir babası ve ona hiçbir şey söyleyemeyen bir annesi var. Hayatının en kötü gecelerinden birinde evden kaçmak zorunda kalan Rachel aslında bunun sadece bir başlangıç olduğundan bihaber. Onu çok daha büyük acılar bekliyor. Hayatının aşkını bulduğunu zannediyor. Bu henüz çocuk sayılabilecek yaştaki saf kız, sırılsıklam âşık olduğu Danny Mackay'in ona neler yapabileceğinin elbette farkında değil.
Kitap Kelebek'in müdavimlerinin hikâyelerini anlatırken, sık sık geçmişe dönüp Rachel'ın öyküsünü aktarıyor. Çünkü aslında her şeyin merkezinde o var. Kadınların bedenlerinin satıldığı yeri birebir görmüş, orada çalışmak zorunda kalmış ve hıyanete uğramış bir genç kadın sizce ne yapabilir? Hayatı hiçe sayıp kendini intikama adamış olabilir mi?
Kelebek'in ne kadar kadınlar üzerinde durduğunu fark etmişsinizdir sanırım. Ama görüldüğü üzere sadece iki kişinin arasında geçmiyor. Dört kadın var. (Yoksa beş mi demeliyim. Gizemli Beverly Highland'ı unutmayalım.) Ancak bu kadınların tek tek âşık oluşları değil mesele. Hayallerini gerçekleştirmeleri, geçmişlerinden kurtulmaları, yüklerini fırlatmaları... Örneğin, Jessica ona her şeyi emreden kocasından bıkmış bir kadın. Doktor Linda ise bir neden ötürü korkmuş, bu yüzden cinsel yönden tatmin olamayan biri. Hepsinin ortak noktası çareyi Kelebek'te aramaları. Tanımadığı bir adamla fantezilerini gerçekleştirmesi nasıl bir çare, diyecektir bazıları eminim. Tabii bu sizin bakış açınıza bağlı. En iyisi kitabı alıp bir okuyun.
Açıkçası özellikle Rachel'ın hayat öyküsü beni çok etkiledi. İnatçılığı, intikam için vazgeçtiği şeyler, kendini adaması ayakta alkışlanacak cinstendi. Peki, böyle bir intikam yemini sağlıklı mı? Bu soru kitap boyunca kafamı kurcalayıp durdu işte. Rachel, Danny'i "kendi başını ye!" deyip, kadere teslim etse ne olurdu? Düşünüp taşınmak lazım bunu. Fakat tüm bu sorularıma rağmen Kelebek'in sonunu çok beğendim. Tam kıvamındaydı.
Kelebek, pek çok kadının içindeki feministi ortaya çıkaracak türden bir kitap. İçinde erotizm var, doğru. Lâkin bu o kadar da üst seviyelerde değil. Sonuçta bize fantezileri gerçekleştirme arzusunu aktarıyor yazar. Bahsettiğim yalnız cinsel fanteziler değil. İstediğin mesleği yapabilme, hayatını düzene sokabilme, sevdiğin adamla evlenebilme de bir fantezidir. Kathryn Harvey lakaplı Barbara Wood ise bunu okuyucuya çok güzel anlatmış.
Öncelikle belirtme gereği duyuyorum ki, Kelebek sanıldığı gibi Fifty Shades ve benzeri kitaplara benzemiyor. Tamam, yalan söylemeyeceğim; ilk başta ben de öyle sanmıştım. Ancak hem yayınevinin söylemi üzerine hem de okuduğum yorumlardan sonra öyle olmadığını düşünmeye başladım. Ta ki kitabı okuyana kadar. O zaman erotic romance diye bildiğimiz, yani cinsellik üzerine kurulu aşkı anlatan kitaplara hiç de benzemediğini anladım.
Kelebek, sıradan bir aşk romanı değil. Bu bir intikam hikâyesi. Aynı zamanda kadınların fantezilerini gerçekleştirmelerinin hikâyesi.
Kelebek, Beverly Hills'teki bir erkek giyim mağazasının üzerinde özel bir kulüp. Bu kulüpte farklı bir hizmet veriliyor. Üye olan kadınlar, seçtikleri erkeklerle istedikleri fanteziyi gerçekleştirebiliyorlar. İster Mary Antoinette oluyor, ister bir kovboyla istedikleri şekilde birlikte oluyorlar. Seçenekler ve kaynaklar sınırsız.
Kelebek'in müdavimlerini anlatarak başlıyor kitap. İlk başta bu karakterler arası geçişler biraz (ama çok az) kafa karıştırıcı olsa da gidişat iyi toparlanıyor. Dört kadın var kitapta. Ünlü bir avukat olan Jessica, aşkı bulmayı kafaya koymuş inşaatçı Trudie, yaralı bir doktor Linda. Ve bir de Rachel Dywer var.
Rachel, henüz on dört yaşındayken hayatın pislikleriyle tanışmak zorunda kalmış. Berbat bir babası ve ona hiçbir şey söyleyemeyen bir annesi var. Hayatının en kötü gecelerinden birinde evden kaçmak zorunda kalan Rachel aslında bunun sadece bir başlangıç olduğundan bihaber. Onu çok daha büyük acılar bekliyor. Hayatının aşkını bulduğunu zannediyor. Bu henüz çocuk sayılabilecek yaştaki saf kız, sırılsıklam âşık olduğu Danny Mackay'in ona neler yapabileceğinin elbette farkında değil.
Kitap Kelebek'in müdavimlerinin hikâyelerini anlatırken, sık sık geçmişe dönüp Rachel'ın öyküsünü aktarıyor. Çünkü aslında her şeyin merkezinde o var. Kadınların bedenlerinin satıldığı yeri birebir görmüş, orada çalışmak zorunda kalmış ve hıyanete uğramış bir genç kadın sizce ne yapabilir? Hayatı hiçe sayıp kendini intikama adamış olabilir mi?
Kelebek'in ne kadar kadınlar üzerinde durduğunu fark etmişsinizdir sanırım. Ama görüldüğü üzere sadece iki kişinin arasında geçmiyor. Dört kadın var. (Yoksa beş mi demeliyim. Gizemli Beverly Highland'ı unutmayalım.) Ancak bu kadınların tek tek âşık oluşları değil mesele. Hayallerini gerçekleştirmeleri, geçmişlerinden kurtulmaları, yüklerini fırlatmaları... Örneğin, Jessica ona her şeyi emreden kocasından bıkmış bir kadın. Doktor Linda ise bir neden ötürü korkmuş, bu yüzden cinsel yönden tatmin olamayan biri. Hepsinin ortak noktası çareyi Kelebek'te aramaları. Tanımadığı bir adamla fantezilerini gerçekleştirmesi nasıl bir çare, diyecektir bazıları eminim. Tabii bu sizin bakış açınıza bağlı. En iyisi kitabı alıp bir okuyun.
Açıkçası özellikle Rachel'ın hayat öyküsü beni çok etkiledi. İnatçılığı, intikam için vazgeçtiği şeyler, kendini adaması ayakta alkışlanacak cinstendi. Peki, böyle bir intikam yemini sağlıklı mı? Bu soru kitap boyunca kafamı kurcalayıp durdu işte. Rachel, Danny'i "kendi başını ye!" deyip, kadere teslim etse ne olurdu? Düşünüp taşınmak lazım bunu. Fakat tüm bu sorularıma rağmen Kelebek'in sonunu çok beğendim. Tam kıvamındaydı.
Kelebek, pek çok kadının içindeki feministi ortaya çıkaracak türden bir kitap. İçinde erotizm var, doğru. Lâkin bu o kadar da üst seviyelerde değil. Sonuçta bize fantezileri gerçekleştirme arzusunu aktarıyor yazar. Bahsettiğim yalnız cinsel fanteziler değil. İstediğin mesleği yapabilme, hayatını düzene sokabilme, sevdiğin adamla evlenebilme de bir fantezidir. Kathryn Harvey lakaplı Barbara Wood ise bunu okuyucuya çok güzel anlatmış.
March 29, 2016
I found this one on the trashy book dollar rack at my local bookstore but I wouldn't classify this as glitter trash or smut, even though the back cover teases this. It's more of a slow, patient, obsessive revenge story with some Butterfly client stories thrown in. I think Beverly's character is a bad-ass but in a kind of cold, and borderline one-dimensional way like Clint Eastwood. Her lack of true character development made the climatic revenge scene the novel builds to sort of dissatisfying. I think the book would have worked better if Beverly had been given a tighter focus.
September 16, 2019
This is the story of several women, almost like one of those family sagas, only these women aren't necessarily related by blood. But mostly this is the story of one woman's rise from poverty into unimaginable wealth and her triumph over the worst villain of all... a televangelist!!!
May 6, 2010
Read this one years and years ago, and had an odd conversation the other day that reminded me of it.
Butterfly is a book with something of a split personality, as if it's not quite sure if it wants to be women's erotica or one of those "woman rises from poverty and makes multimillions" sagas that were so popular in the eighties. There are two main plot threads, and while they do tie together, it's kind of a weird fit.
One plotline concerns a poor, homely girl who goes through a series of over-the-top humiliations worthy of a V.C. Andrews novel. Her greatest tormentor is Danny Mackay, her first lover. Years later, Danny has clawed and backstabbed his way to a promising career in politics. His chief supporter is the glamorous Beverly Highland. (It's not hard to figure out who she is!) But Beverly has a few surprises up her sleeve.
The other plotline centers on Butterfly, a high-class brothel for women. Staffed by a slew of hunks, Butterfly caters to women's repressed fantasies. The scenes aren't all that naughty by today's standards, but they're fun. I don't think Butterfly really works as erotica, though, since the few smutty chapters are interspersed between tons of angsty chapters.
There are other issues, too--things that just don't ring right once you think about them for a few minutes. The one I remember best is:
One of Butterfly's clients has an emotionally abusive husband. When they have the fight that finally spurs her to leave him, she throws in his face that she slept with another man and paid for it. This is supposed to be her big moment of empowerment, and the husband is just sort of agog. But...this is a guy who loves to belittle his wife for not being pretty enough (in his opinion). I can see him being shocked at a regular affair, but when you add prostitution into the mix, a guy like that would be more likely to retort that she had to pay for sex because she's not pretty enough to attract a lover. It wouldn't be a grrl-power moment at all.
Butterfly is a book with something of a split personality, as if it's not quite sure if it wants to be women's erotica or one of those "woman rises from poverty and makes multimillions" sagas that were so popular in the eighties. There are two main plot threads, and while they do tie together, it's kind of a weird fit.
One plotline concerns a poor, homely girl who goes through a series of over-the-top humiliations worthy of a V.C. Andrews novel. Her greatest tormentor is Danny Mackay, her first lover. Years later, Danny has clawed and backstabbed his way to a promising career in politics. His chief supporter is the glamorous Beverly Highland. (It's not hard to figure out who she is!) But Beverly has a few surprises up her sleeve.
The other plotline centers on Butterfly, a high-class brothel for women. Staffed by a slew of hunks, Butterfly caters to women's repressed fantasies. The scenes aren't all that naughty by today's standards, but they're fun. I don't think Butterfly really works as erotica, though, since the few smutty chapters are interspersed between tons of angsty chapters.
There are other issues, too--things that just don't ring right once you think about them for a few minutes. The one I remember best is:
One of Butterfly's clients has an emotionally abusive husband. When they have the fight that finally spurs her to leave him, she throws in his face that she slept with another man and paid for it. This is supposed to be her big moment of empowerment, and the husband is just sort of agog. But...this is a guy who loves to belittle his wife for not being pretty enough (in his opinion). I can see him being shocked at a regular affair, but when you add prostitution into the mix, a guy like that would be more likely to retort that she had to pay for sex because she's not pretty enough to attract a lover. It wouldn't be a grrl-power moment at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2009
A wonderful read! Total female empowerment. Think of a group of 4 women that have been used, abused, and cast aside by men in their lifetime and sexually unsatisfied everytime to boot. These four women become successful business women and they open up a little business... catering to the fantasies of women. Lots of successful women show up at Butterfly to pay for and recieve what they do not get at home. I found it to be a very original idea and enjoyed reading about women that shun traditional society and just get what they want, even if they have to pay for it. The only thing I found trashy (I have seen that word used in many reviews about this novel) was Trudie's sleeping around with a new guy just about everynight (outside of Butterfly). I also thought Beverly's revenge, though justified, was a bit elaborate. I think cutting off Danny's family jewels and shoving them down his throat would have been just as satisfying and much more cost effective. Danny is the current television evangelist that years before ruined Beverly's young life by throwing her into a world of prostitution at the tender age of 14. I also found I enjoyed reading about young Beverly more than older Beverly. Felt like she lost her personality and character in the more "modern" parts of the book.
April 29, 2013
You ever crave a a delicious, sinful treat? I remember reading this book as a teenager and loving it in all its trashy goodness. I had a yen to revisit this story, so I picked it and started reading from the beginning. I went to bed at 4am after finishing it. And it was as good as I remembered. No spoilers, but fair warning - this book has NO redeeming social value. It exists for a fun read. If you read this expecting some degree of literary value, you'll be disappointed. Read it because it's fun and you can enjoy every last drop of goodness.
September 5, 2016
Revenge, Religion and Politics
You can be deceived by the cover, but open up and start reading. The main character Rachel will keep you engaged in her strive to get revenge on Danny. Kathryn Harvey truly crafted a amazing story taking you through decades of an artfully plotted revenge,touching all areas of sex, Religion and politics. No spoilers, so start reading.
You can be deceived by the cover, but open up and start reading. The main character Rachel will keep you engaged in her strive to get revenge on Danny. Kathryn Harvey truly crafted a amazing story taking you through decades of an artfully plotted revenge,touching all areas of sex, Religion and politics. No spoilers, so start reading.
August 10, 2013
Kadınların başrolda olduğu bir roman okumak güzeldi :) Ve belkide en güçlü kadın karakterler Top 10 listesine yeni giren ve yerini sağlamlaştıran Beverley'i okumak hoştu. Ama En Bastar/Asshole/SonofBitch erkek karakterler listesine 1. sırdan giren Danny'i okumak o kadar da güzel değildi malesef.
January 8, 2009
This book is soooo corny. So bad you have to like it. Kathryn Harvey must watch a lot of dayime soaps & Lifetime movies ;)
May 23, 2015
quality vintage trash.
October 9, 2019
I have a general rule to read atleast 100 pages before I DNF a book but I cannot make myself go through this disrespectful degrading disgusting anti-man crap. These woman encourage each other to cheat on their husbands to make their fantasies come true or they are just so lonely that they have to wear masks in order for them to get off. I don't know the whole men standing in line and them choosing someone to have casual sex with reminds me of that scene in taken where the girl is drugged and everyone is betting on her. I just can't!
April 11, 2018
A friend let me read her paperback copy of this years ago. I loved it then, and I loved the rereading. I still have never found a copy of this, except for Kindle, so I bought the whole set.
Once you read this, the concept of a women's fantasy coming true just kind of sticks with you. I have never forgotten Beverly and her messed up life either.
Now onto the second book..
Once you read this, the concept of a women's fantasy coming true just kind of sticks with you. I have never forgotten Beverly and her messed up life either.
Now onto the second book..
February 13, 2025
This book was not at all what I expected it to be. I struggled getting through the bulk of the story, but it really picked up for me closer to the end. A few unexpected twists and turns at the end were great.
May 17, 2020
Estimulante! y cautivadora!. Nuevamente Barbara Wood, ahora bajo su pseudónimo de Kathryn Harvey logra atrapar en la historia de Rachel y otras protagonistas mujeres, las diversas versiones del freno en la expresión de la sexualidad en las mujeres, llevando estas historias a la par de la terrible realidad de muchas que sufren la violencia sexual. Una historia que a lo largo de 35 años va cocinando una venganza de Rachel hacia aquel que abusó de muchas maneras de su inocencia, su ser, su cuerpo y su mente. Un erotismo sensual tan descriptivo y a la vez alejado de lo porno o lascivo. Rachel logra construir un castillo de naipes bien jugados y que al final se derrumban con el soplo de la verdad.
September 11, 2022
Me ha encantado la historia y como la cuenta. Engancha desde la primera escena.
January 20, 2013
Bu yorum aynı zamanda ÜKG Blog Turu adına Romancekolikte yayınlanmıştır.
Romance'ten biraz sıkılıp farklı şeylere yönelmek istediğim bir dönemde Kelebek'i okuduğuma seviniyorum.Benim için oldukça değişik bir kurguydu. Sanırım ben böyle kitapları seviyorum. Daha önce de aynı bu şekilde çoklu anlatımı olan, geçmiş ile geleceğin anlatıldığı kitaplar okumuştum. Sanırım en güzel örnek Dantel - Shirley Conrad olacaktır. Beni sürekli okumaya yönelten hep bir entrika bulunuyor hikayelerinde. Kathryn'in yazış stilinde de bunu deneyimledim. Elinde ki kurguyu kitaba güzel yerleştirmiş. Oldukça şaşırttı da. Beklediğim, ummadığım bir çok olayı boş yakalandığım anlarda karşıma çıkardı.
Yalnız kitap insanı feministliğe yönlendiren bir tarzı var. Kadınların sadece amacının hala cinsel öğe ya da doğuracak bir kısrak gibi görüldüğü dönemlerde yaşayan baş karakterimiz Rachel'ın başına gelenler insanı içini cızlatacak derecede. Hele ki o koruduğu saf hayaller, yıllarca fahişelik yapmaya zorlandığı halde dünyaya toz pembe gibi bakışı bir yandan ona kızmamıza, bir yandan da kendini yaşadığı dünyadan korumaya çalıştığı için ona kızabilir miyiz? diye kendime soru yöneltmemize sebep veriyor. Sonradan başına gelenler ise olgunlayışı ise malesef çok acı oluyor. Bende bağrıma basıp, dünyadan koruma isteği uyandırttı.
Hikayemizin diğer kahramanlarımıza gelirsek hepsi fantezilerinin peşinden koşan veya koşmayı öğrenen insanlar. Kelebek adlı bir kulüp ise bu fantezilerini keşfetmelerini sağlıyor. Hepsinin farklı hayatları, sorunları, arzuları var. Yazarın bizim hayalimizde canlandırdıkları o kadar gerçek hayattan ki, karakterleri kurgu olarak düşünmedim. Adeta bir günlük okuyormuş da insanların gizli sırlarını öğreniyormuş hissine kapıldım çoğunlukla. Hepsinin aradıklarını bulmalarına da sevindim.
Kelebek kulübünün kuruluşu, kızımızın geldiği yerler oldukça şaşırtıcıydı. Herşey onu kandıran, fahişeliğe zorlayan, en çokta hayalleri ile çocuğunu öldüren adamdan almak istediği intikam uğrunaydı. Adamdan öyle bir intikam aldı ki, süründürdü bir güzel. Ben olsam o adamı öldürmüştüm ama yok Beverley (eski adıyla Rachel ) adamı ölmekten bin bir pişman etti. Sonrasında ise Beverley'de hak ettiği mutluluğu kitabın başında gördüğümüz Jamie'yle yakalamasına çok sevindim. Benim için oldukça tatmin edici oldu. Mutlu sonla bitmeyen kitaplara antipatim vardır.
Özetle gelgitlerle - duygusal açıdan - okuduğum bu kitap bende çok hoş bir his bıraktı. Bu tür kitaplara daha çok şans vermem gerektiğini anladım. Serinin devamına da bakmayı amaçlıyorum.
Benden size birde uyarı; Kelebek son dönemde çıkan Erotik kitaplarla alakası yoktur. O tür bir beklentiyle alıp okursanız, elinizde çok farklı bir şey bulacaksınızdır. Bu sebeple o kitaplarla aynı kefeye konulamaz. Bildiğiniz Erotik Romanslardan değildir!
Romance'ten biraz sıkılıp farklı şeylere yönelmek istediğim bir dönemde Kelebek'i okuduğuma seviniyorum.Benim için oldukça değişik bir kurguydu. Sanırım ben böyle kitapları seviyorum. Daha önce de aynı bu şekilde çoklu anlatımı olan, geçmiş ile geleceğin anlatıldığı kitaplar okumuştum. Sanırım en güzel örnek Dantel - Shirley Conrad olacaktır. Beni sürekli okumaya yönelten hep bir entrika bulunuyor hikayelerinde. Kathryn'in yazış stilinde de bunu deneyimledim. Elinde ki kurguyu kitaba güzel yerleştirmiş. Oldukça şaşırttı da. Beklediğim, ummadığım bir çok olayı boş yakalandığım anlarda karşıma çıkardı.
Yalnız kitap insanı feministliğe yönlendiren bir tarzı var. Kadınların sadece amacının hala cinsel öğe ya da doğuracak bir kısrak gibi görüldüğü dönemlerde yaşayan baş karakterimiz Rachel'ın başına gelenler insanı içini cızlatacak derecede. Hele ki o koruduğu saf hayaller, yıllarca fahişelik yapmaya zorlandığı halde dünyaya toz pembe gibi bakışı bir yandan ona kızmamıza, bir yandan da kendini yaşadığı dünyadan korumaya çalıştığı için ona kızabilir miyiz? diye kendime soru yöneltmemize sebep veriyor. Sonradan başına gelenler ise olgunlayışı ise malesef çok acı oluyor. Bende bağrıma basıp, dünyadan koruma isteği uyandırttı.
Hikayemizin diğer kahramanlarımıza gelirsek hepsi fantezilerinin peşinden koşan veya koşmayı öğrenen insanlar. Kelebek adlı bir kulüp ise bu fantezilerini keşfetmelerini sağlıyor. Hepsinin farklı hayatları, sorunları, arzuları var. Yazarın bizim hayalimizde canlandırdıkları o kadar gerçek hayattan ki, karakterleri kurgu olarak düşünmedim. Adeta bir günlük okuyormuş da insanların gizli sırlarını öğreniyormuş hissine kapıldım çoğunlukla. Hepsinin aradıklarını bulmalarına da sevindim.
Kelebek kulübünün kuruluşu, kızımızın geldiği yerler oldukça şaşırtıcıydı. Herşey onu kandıran, fahişeliğe zorlayan, en çokta hayalleri ile çocuğunu öldüren adamdan almak istediği intikam uğrunaydı. Adamdan öyle bir intikam aldı ki, süründürdü bir güzel. Ben olsam o adamı öldürmüştüm ama yok Beverley (eski adıyla Rachel ) adamı ölmekten bin bir pişman etti. Sonrasında ise Beverley'de hak ettiği mutluluğu kitabın başında gördüğümüz Jamie'yle yakalamasına çok sevindim. Benim için oldukça tatmin edici oldu. Mutlu sonla bitmeyen kitaplara antipatim vardır.
Özetle gelgitlerle - duygusal açıdan - okuduğum bu kitap bende çok hoş bir his bıraktı. Bu tür kitaplara daha çok şans vermem gerektiğini anladım. Serinin devamına da bakmayı amaçlıyorum.
Benden size birde uyarı; Kelebek son dönemde çıkan Erotik kitaplarla alakası yoktur. O tür bir beklentiyle alıp okursanız, elinizde çok farklı bir şey bulacaksınızdır. Bu sebeple o kitaplarla aynı kefeye konulamaz. Bildiğiniz Erotik Romanslardan değildir!
May 29, 2020
Als die 14 jähre Ausreißerin Rachel dem charismatischen Danny begegnet, schenkt sie ihm all ihre Liebe, nur um zwei Jahre später sich in der Gosse wiederzufinden. Er hat sie verkauft, missbraucht und ihr, ihr Kind genommen. Sie schwört, dass sie ihn vernichten wird, wenn der richtige Zeitpunkt gekommen ist, doch darüber kann der schöne Danny Mackay nur müde lächeln. Ihr Hass wird zum Treibstoff ihres Handelns und Strebens. Rachel verändert ihr Aussehen, nimmt einen neuen Namen an und wird unvorstellbar reich. Sie wird Inhaberin einer riesigen Fastfoodkette, Komiteemitglied zur Neugestaltung von Hollywood und Besitzerin eines Clubs für Frauen mit besonderen Wünschen. Doch all das hat sie nur erreicht um ihn leiden zu sehen. Nach 36 Jahren ist es dann soweit, ihre Zeit ist gekommen. Als Danny Mackay für das Amt des Präsidenten der Vereinigten Staaten kandidiert, lässt sie sein Machtgefüge zusammenstürzen wie ein Kartenhaus und weidet sich an seinem tiefen Fall.
Barbara Wood schrieb den Roman „Butterfly“ unter dem Pseudonym Kathryn Harvey. Vor mehr als 10 Jahren habe ich dieses Buch schon einmal gelesen und es hat in den Jahren für mich nichts an seiner Originalität eingebüsst. Schon damals fand ich ein Bordell für Frauen faszinierend. Zumal das keineswegs vergleichbar ist, mit einem normalen Freudenhaus, denn im Butterfly werden Phantasien bedient. Sei es der Einbrecher, der einen überrascht, ein gutaussehender Cowboy, eine berühmte Szene aus „Casablanca“ oder ein intellektueller Disput mit einem gebildeten Mann. Ich sollte diese Geschäftsidee im Hinterkopf behalten, falls aus meiner akademischen Karriere nichts wird. In dem Buch steht der Emanzipierungsgedanke im Vordergrund. Denn neben der Geschichte von Rachel alias Beverly Highland, werden auch noch andere Frauenschicksale beleuchtet. Am meisten imponiert hat mir dabei die Nebenhandlung der Anwältin Jessica. Die ihr Leben lang sich erst den Wünschen ihres strengen Vaters und dann die ihres noch strengeren Ehemannes unterordnet. Die aber als Mitglied im Butterfly-Club ihre Freiheit entdeckt und sich endlich zur Wehr setzt, um ein selbstbestimmtes Leben zu beginnen. Ich bin froh das Fischer vor ein paar Jahren, diesen Roman noch einmal verlegt hat, denn es ist wirklich eine tolle Geschichte und ich wette in 10 Jahren, wenn ich sie dann noch einmal lesen, wird sie mir immer noch nahegehen.
Barbara Wood schrieb den Roman „Butterfly“ unter dem Pseudonym Kathryn Harvey. Vor mehr als 10 Jahren habe ich dieses Buch schon einmal gelesen und es hat in den Jahren für mich nichts an seiner Originalität eingebüsst. Schon damals fand ich ein Bordell für Frauen faszinierend. Zumal das keineswegs vergleichbar ist, mit einem normalen Freudenhaus, denn im Butterfly werden Phantasien bedient. Sei es der Einbrecher, der einen überrascht, ein gutaussehender Cowboy, eine berühmte Szene aus „Casablanca“ oder ein intellektueller Disput mit einem gebildeten Mann. Ich sollte diese Geschäftsidee im Hinterkopf behalten, falls aus meiner akademischen Karriere nichts wird. In dem Buch steht der Emanzipierungsgedanke im Vordergrund. Denn neben der Geschichte von Rachel alias Beverly Highland, werden auch noch andere Frauenschicksale beleuchtet. Am meisten imponiert hat mir dabei die Nebenhandlung der Anwältin Jessica. Die ihr Leben lang sich erst den Wünschen ihres strengen Vaters und dann die ihres noch strengeren Ehemannes unterordnet. Die aber als Mitglied im Butterfly-Club ihre Freiheit entdeckt und sich endlich zur Wehr setzt, um ein selbstbestimmtes Leben zu beginnen. Ich bin froh das Fischer vor ein paar Jahren, diesen Roman noch einmal verlegt hat, denn es ist wirklich eine tolle Geschichte und ich wette in 10 Jahren, wenn ich sie dann noch einmal lesen, wird sie mir immer noch nahegehen.
August 4, 2012
I should begin by saying that going into this book, I thought it was published in 2005 & was a contemporary romance. As I began reading, it became evident that this was not a story in that time period. I then found it was originally published in 1988. The many references in this book definitely made sense in that context but it became a bit of a distraction because there were so many brand names mentioned that are no longer "high end" (Lear instead of Gulf Stream, Pierre Cardin, Members Only, etc) or even recognizable. Furthermore, it didn't set the time in the way a story by Bret Easton Ellis can, it just felt like it was pushing "wealthy L.A." in a heavy handed way with all the name dropping.
I found the first chapter intro to be very compelling because you don't know who has died or who the woman who put it all into motion happens to be. I thought the mystery/revenge set up would get going much earlier on but instead we go back & forth in time getting to know the main female characters. While that was somewhat interesting, I found that it was mostly tedious because I wanted to get to the mystery. The main women we follow have all been on the rough side of relationships with men & other life circumstances but they excel in their professional lives & so seek liberation & freedom in Butterfly. I am a fan of stories of empowered women & certainly love stories where women take charge of their own happiness but none of the characters were very compelling in the long run. There was nothing new here & nothing that will stand out as revelatory or have lasting impression.
This may well have been an edgy story when it was originally published (what with women running & patronising the brothel) but by today's standard, it is quite tame. There's nothing sexually graphic or kinky here. And there's nothing wrong with that but I wouldn't even say there was anything in this book that felt like it belonged in "romance". It is a broad chick-lit ensemble where the b-story revenge plot is the most interesting thing going on. Don't go into it looking for more & it should be a satisfying telling. If you're looking for a romantic & erotic story of a woman patronising a brothel, pick up Robin Schone's "The Lover".
This is the first in the Butterfly Trilogy but I don't have any desire to read the remaining installments.
I found the first chapter intro to be very compelling because you don't know who has died or who the woman who put it all into motion happens to be. I thought the mystery/revenge set up would get going much earlier on but instead we go back & forth in time getting to know the main female characters. While that was somewhat interesting, I found that it was mostly tedious because I wanted to get to the mystery. The main women we follow have all been on the rough side of relationships with men & other life circumstances but they excel in their professional lives & so seek liberation & freedom in Butterfly. I am a fan of stories of empowered women & certainly love stories where women take charge of their own happiness but none of the characters were very compelling in the long run. There was nothing new here & nothing that will stand out as revelatory or have lasting impression.
This may well have been an edgy story when it was originally published (what with women running & patronising the brothel) but by today's standard, it is quite tame. There's nothing sexually graphic or kinky here. And there's nothing wrong with that but I wouldn't even say there was anything in this book that felt like it belonged in "romance". It is a broad chick-lit ensemble where the b-story revenge plot is the most interesting thing going on. Don't go into it looking for more & it should be a satisfying telling. If you're looking for a romantic & erotic story of a woman patronising a brothel, pick up Robin Schone's "The Lover".
This is the first in the Butterfly Trilogy but I don't have any desire to read the remaining installments.
January 26, 2013
Kelebek Kathryn Harvey
BUTTERFLY Üçlemesinin ilk kitabı olan orjinal adı Butterfly olan Kelebek romanının Goodreads Puanı 5/4,19 Benim puanım ise 5/5 muhteşem bir kitap idi..Kapağından çevirisine kadar..Son zamanlardaki vasat kitaplardan sonra rahat bir nefes aldırdı..
Uzun zamandır beni böylesine film gibi etkileyen bir kitap okumadım. Öyle ki yıllar önce TRT'de Best Seller romanlardan uyarlanan o şahane dizileri anımsattı bana..Umarım bu serinin dizisi çekilir..
Hikayeden öyle romantik bir aşk hikayesi bekliyorsanız aldanırsınız..Hikaye tam anlamı ile bir hayat dersi sunuyordu bize..Hayatın gerçeklerinden tutun da,kadınların erkeklerden nasıl bir beraberlik beklediğine kadar her şey vardı bu romanda..Hemen belirteyim erotik bir hikayede değil..Tam bir hayat dersi veriyor bu kitap..Yazarın anlatımını çok sevdim beğendim..Akıyor hikaye elinizden bırakamıyorsunuz...
Hikaye kadın kahraman Rachel Dwyer'in trajik öyküsü idi.14 yasından beri başına gelmeyen kalmamıs ailesinden kopmak zorunda kalmıstı.
Ailesinden ayrıldıktan sonra karşısına cıkan Danny Mackay. En umutsuz zamaninda karşısina cıkan bu yakışıklı genç adam onu çok zor bir durumdan kurtardi Rachel'de ona o an aşık oldu.
O kadar ki onu eli ile teslim edip fahişelik yapmasına bile sesini cıkarmadi. Rachel güzel degildi belki ama sevgi doluydu yüregi,becerikli ve akilliydi da.
Bir gün bu isi bırakip Danny ile yeni bir hayata başlamayi ve çocuklarının olmasıni hayal ediyordu.
Ama Danny 'nin planlarında Rachel hiç yoktu. O sadece küçük bir basamaktı onun icin. Rachel onun gercek yüzü ile tanıstıginda ise yemin etti intikam icin yasayacakti. Danny'i yıllarca izledi o intikam saati icin yasadı..Ona en yüksekten uçuruma indirmeye yemin etmişti..İşte bu Kelebek Klubü de onun için harika araçtı..Kimse bu kulübün sahibini kim çalıştırdığını bilmiyordu..Kulübün
ana amacı Danny Mackay'ı mahvetmek için kurulması idi. Bu kulübün hizmetlerinden kadınlar faydalanıyordu..Daha fazla detaya girmek istemiyorum gerisini siz okuyun..
Harika bir romandı müthiş bir konusu ve kurgusu vardi. Tavsiye ederim..Biraz değişik bir kitap okumak istiyorsanız tam size göre bir hikaye...
Butterfly Trilogy Üçlüsü
1.Butterfly (Kelebek)
2.Stars
3.Private Entrance
Hulya YILMAZ
BUTTERFLY Üçlemesinin ilk kitabı olan orjinal adı Butterfly olan Kelebek romanının Goodreads Puanı 5/4,19 Benim puanım ise 5/5 muhteşem bir kitap idi..Kapağından çevirisine kadar..Son zamanlardaki vasat kitaplardan sonra rahat bir nefes aldırdı..
Uzun zamandır beni böylesine film gibi etkileyen bir kitap okumadım. Öyle ki yıllar önce TRT'de Best Seller romanlardan uyarlanan o şahane dizileri anımsattı bana..Umarım bu serinin dizisi çekilir..
Hikayeden öyle romantik bir aşk hikayesi bekliyorsanız aldanırsınız..Hikaye tam anlamı ile bir hayat dersi sunuyordu bize..Hayatın gerçeklerinden tutun da,kadınların erkeklerden nasıl bir beraberlik beklediğine kadar her şey vardı bu romanda..Hemen belirteyim erotik bir hikayede değil..Tam bir hayat dersi veriyor bu kitap..Yazarın anlatımını çok sevdim beğendim..Akıyor hikaye elinizden bırakamıyorsunuz...
Hikaye kadın kahraman Rachel Dwyer'in trajik öyküsü idi.14 yasından beri başına gelmeyen kalmamıs ailesinden kopmak zorunda kalmıstı.
Ailesinden ayrıldıktan sonra karşısına cıkan Danny Mackay. En umutsuz zamaninda karşısina cıkan bu yakışıklı genç adam onu çok zor bir durumdan kurtardi Rachel'de ona o an aşık oldu.
O kadar ki onu eli ile teslim edip fahişelik yapmasına bile sesini cıkarmadi. Rachel güzel degildi belki ama sevgi doluydu yüregi,becerikli ve akilliydi da.
Bir gün bu isi bırakip Danny ile yeni bir hayata başlamayi ve çocuklarının olmasıni hayal ediyordu.
Ama Danny 'nin planlarında Rachel hiç yoktu. O sadece küçük bir basamaktı onun icin. Rachel onun gercek yüzü ile tanıstıginda ise yemin etti intikam icin yasayacakti. Danny'i yıllarca izledi o intikam saati icin yasadı..Ona en yüksekten uçuruma indirmeye yemin etmişti..İşte bu Kelebek Klubü de onun için harika araçtı..Kimse bu kulübün sahibini kim çalıştırdığını bilmiyordu..Kulübün
ana amacı Danny Mackay'ı mahvetmek için kurulması idi. Bu kulübün hizmetlerinden kadınlar faydalanıyordu..Daha fazla detaya girmek istemiyorum gerisini siz okuyun..
Harika bir romandı müthiş bir konusu ve kurgusu vardi. Tavsiye ederim..Biraz değişik bir kitap okumak istiyorsanız tam size göre bir hikaye...
Butterfly Trilogy Üçlüsü
1.Butterfly (Kelebek)
2.Stars
3.Private Entrance
Hulya YILMAZ
June 14, 2016
Yeah, so I read a review of this book from a fellow blogger who couldn't recommend it enough, loved every page! I swear they were as high as a kite when they were writing that because I've never read a book which has wasted my time more.
This is why: One, the characters. Beverly and her horrific past. Don't get me wrong it was horrific however the author seemed to see her revenge as all and everything in her life and I just couldn't help but want more for her. I then got more and more frustrated as it became more apparent that Harvey thought that a past is enough to shape a characters personality when it really really really doesn't.
There were of course other characters but Harvey seemed not to bother with them. True she dedicated word space to them but I don't think she really thought about their characters beyond giving them each a female empowerment issue. Truly do we only become true women once we have stood up against a man? Or needing a man to then realise our own empowerment?
.............I think no. But this message grated own me because I can see how she reached that conclusion I jsut think it's a damaging one.
There isn't that much to say about the narrative apart from it was pretty much a reflection on the past and how it creates you future. Which I am also against, seeing as I feel that the past shapes you as a person which therefore impacts your future but does not shape it as I think Harvey beleives.
So. All in all I would say never ever read this book. That is about it. Then again if you do read it, please tell me how you get on. Because you are, of course, allowed to completely disregard my opinion :P
This is why: One, the characters. Beverly and her horrific past. Don't get me wrong it was horrific however the author seemed to see her revenge as all and everything in her life and I just couldn't help but want more for her. I then got more and more frustrated as it became more apparent that Harvey thought that a past is enough to shape a characters personality when it really really really doesn't.
There were of course other characters but Harvey seemed not to bother with them. True she dedicated word space to them but I don't think she really thought about their characters beyond giving them each a female empowerment issue. Truly do we only become true women once we have stood up against a man? Or needing a man to then realise our own empowerment?
.............I think no. But this message grated own me because I can see how she reached that conclusion I jsut think it's a damaging one.
There isn't that much to say about the narrative apart from it was pretty much a reflection on the past and how it creates you future. Which I am also against, seeing as I feel that the past shapes you as a person which therefore impacts your future but does not shape it as I think Harvey beleives.
So. All in all I would say never ever read this book. That is about it. Then again if you do read it, please tell me how you get on. Because you are, of course, allowed to completely disregard my opinion :P
September 17, 2011
Above an exclusive men's store on Rodeo Drive there is a private club called Butterfly, where women are free to act out their secret erotic fantasies. Only the most beautiful and powerful women in Beverly Hills are invited to join ...
Jessica—The lawyer, who longs for the days when men were men, and women dressed to please them
Trudie—The builder, who wants a man who will challenge her-all of her-with no holds barred
Linda—The surgeon, who uses masks to unmask the desires she hides even from herself
But the most mysterious of them all is the woman who created Butterfly. She has changed her name, her accent, even her face to hide her true identity. And now she is about to reveal everything to realize the dream that has driven her since childhood—the secret obsession that will carry her beyond ecstasy, or destroy her and everyone around her!
Jessica—The lawyer, who longs for the days when men were men, and women dressed to please them
Trudie—The builder, who wants a man who will challenge her-all of her-with no holds barred
Linda—The surgeon, who uses masks to unmask the desires she hides even from herself
But the most mysterious of them all is the woman who created Butterfly. She has changed her name, her accent, even her face to hide her true identity. And now she is about to reveal everything to realize the dream that has driven her since childhood—the secret obsession that will carry her beyond ecstasy, or destroy her and everyone around her!
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