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Carrie’s Story #1
Carrie's Story
"I had been Jonathan’s slave for about a year when he told me he wanted to sell me at an auction. I wasn’t in any condition to respond when he told me this…"
So begins Carrie’s tale of uncompromising sexual adventure. Imagine the Story of O starring a Berkeley Ph.D. in comparative lit (who moonlights as a bike messenger) with a penchant for irony, self-analysis, and anal sex. Set in San Francisco and the Napa valley, Carrie’s Story takes the reader on a journey into a netherworld of slave auctions, training regimes, and human "ponies" preening for dressage competitions.
So begins Carrie’s tale of uncompromising sexual adventure. Imagine the Story of O starring a Berkeley Ph.D. in comparative lit (who moonlights as a bike messenger) with a penchant for irony, self-analysis, and anal sex. Set in San Francisco and the Napa valley, Carrie’s Story takes the reader on a journey into a netherworld of slave auctions, training regimes, and human "ponies" preening for dressage competitions.
200 pages, Paperback
First published July 26, 1994
148 people are currently reading
3370 people want to read
About the author
Molly Weatherfield
7 books76 followersMolly Weatherfield is author Pam Rosenthal's alter ego and evil twin. Molly is a writer of edgy, witty, well-beloved erotica like Carrie's Story and Safe Word.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
February 19, 2013
The first thing I want to tell you is that your impressions of this book are nothing what it actually is like. The cover is haunting, and the blurb rather raunchy, but even as a novel encompassing the infamous human slave auction, or even further, human pony camps, Carrie's Story is more than a work of erotica, more than literary pornography; it is truly a work of art.
I'd never read an BDSM novel before, and quite frankly, I'd never wanted to. But being a Naked Reader Book Club member, I decided I would have to face my discomforts, and give Carrie's Story, one of the monthly selections, a chance. Sometimes, you discover the best things in life by taking the highest of risks. And in this case, that's exactly what happened.
I'm not saying I love S/M now. No. The thought of it still makes me a little queasy. But this book has brought me into a whole new world of literature, one that I find myself craving. BDSM, bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism, is a taboo subject of nature itself. Flogs, chains, gags, and leather aren't even the extremest of it in this neo-Victorian novel. Think ponies. Human ponies. Think bridles and reigns on human bodies, think whips and saddles on human flesh. Think tails, attachable only through a plug through the anus, and think of modern slavery. All very frightening concepts that I have been introduced to, and am no longer disgusted with. Don't get me wrong. Carrie's Story doesn't downplay anything, oh no. You get the rawest of humiliation, the ugliest of flaws, and the most painful of experiences. You also get unblemished emotions, ranging from homeliness, to loss, to desire, and a love story that is so untraditional in doctrine, that it makes you want to be a part of it.
Jonathan is every literature geek's dream. Handsome, obscure, slightly older. And Carrie is just the right girl to fall for him. Little does she know what she's in for...well, aside from the fact that he asks her to be his slave within hours of acquainting. "Meet me at 3 pm," he says, handing her a folded note with an address. Obviously, Carrie won't take up on his offer; he is a stranger, after all. Miraculously, she does, though. And so begins their long, but surreptitiously short-lived relationship.
The horrors of being beaten as a sexual fetish have always dawned on me. I've never found it arousing, or even amusing in the least. Carrie's Story hasn't changed that in me, but I still admit many of the sex scenes are mind-blowing. The fact that one could love the person who beats and whips them until bruises brandish, and permanent welts form, is beyond my perception. Molly Weatherfield however, does an extraordinary job convincing me.
A question arises while reading this novel: How is the fine line between two lovers and a slave and a master determined? I always thought it would be difference in inclination of emotions, but after reading Carrie's Story, I've learned that the way you as a woman, feel about your lover, is not too distant from the way you as a slave, feel about your master. And that is the message Carrie tries to bear.
Stephanie Loves: Jonathan's parting letter to Carrie that made me cry:
"Dear Carrie,
You will continue brave and beautiful, I know. In a year, you'll be much more so than you are now. I sold you at this auction because I wanted to see if I—and you—could pull it off. But I also did it because if I hadn't done it, I would have wanted to call the whole game off and see if we could become friends. Or lovers. Or something. Go to the movies and see if we liked the same ones. I still want to and this is both surprising and disturbing ...
Salut, J."
Source: Naked Reader Book Club via EdenFantasys for review.
Rating: 9 out of 10 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf.
UPDATE!! Molly Weatherfield's infamous, haunting, and time-revered S/m novel has recently received a makeover! This new Cleis Press reissue has a fabulous foreword by Tristan Taormino, as well as a gorgeous public transportation-friendly cover:
Before there was Anastasia, there was Carrie...
You think Fifty Shades kickstarted the contemporary scene's BDSM obsession? Think again; Carrie's Story came first.
It's been nearly two years since I first read and reviewed Weatherfield's 1995 classic, so it was rather sinfully nostalgic coming back. Carrie's Story is the first BDSM novel I ever read—my initiator, you could say—and it was probably the best-written, most tragic breaking-into I could have possibly asked for. Since then, I guess my taste in erotica has been de-virginized (...deflowered? ...done in the ass?). I remember when just looking at the old cover made me queasy, and the concept of whipping and caning itself made me sick to the stomach. Since then, I've made progress, so rereading this neo-Victorian love story was interesting, to say the least.
When it comes to erotica, especially when it's as hardcore as this, the mainstream is too scared—too polite—to really give it a chance. The seediness, the raunch, the explosive, completely intentional sex—it certainly can be a little daunting. But I think Carrie's Story is exactly the type of book that could quell those fears, bridging the vanilla to the... rocky road, shall we call it?
Aside from containing some of stormiest sex scenes I've read in literature (there's no steamy or sizzling here; it's all temper, passion, and of course, pain—both physical and emotional), books like Carrie's Story are so valuable because of the emotional resonance they convey. The helplessness of a love so strong, it will slowly disintegrate if left alone, is perfectly woven through shameless romps of wicked sex. Weatherfield's compelling, absorbing prose wraps readers up into a chilling, powerful narrative that reads like the wisps of a sensual dream, and the plot, in the end, leaves readers aching. At once an emotional ride and an undisciplined frolic in the dark and complex world of BDSM, Carrie's Story combines all the naughty bits—all the chocolate, marshmallow, and of course, nuts—into a relatable, tender love story.
And just to assuage you vanilla folk, I'll end with this: Carrie's Story is like designer-brand erotica; you won't find anything better-written or more intelligent in the genre. It's lyrical, and even its most explicit of passages are tasteful... well, as tasteful as human ponies and sex slaves get. But let's give credit where it's due: there's only so much dignity that one can carry while bound and gagged.
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)
I'd never read an BDSM novel before, and quite frankly, I'd never wanted to. But being a Naked Reader Book Club member, I decided I would have to face my discomforts, and give Carrie's Story, one of the monthly selections, a chance. Sometimes, you discover the best things in life by taking the highest of risks. And in this case, that's exactly what happened.
I'm not saying I love S/M now. No. The thought of it still makes me a little queasy. But this book has brought me into a whole new world of literature, one that I find myself craving. BDSM, bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism, is a taboo subject of nature itself. Flogs, chains, gags, and leather aren't even the extremest of it in this neo-Victorian novel. Think ponies. Human ponies. Think bridles and reigns on human bodies, think whips and saddles on human flesh. Think tails, attachable only through a plug through the anus, and think of modern slavery. All very frightening concepts that I have been introduced to, and am no longer disgusted with. Don't get me wrong. Carrie's Story doesn't downplay anything, oh no. You get the rawest of humiliation, the ugliest of flaws, and the most painful of experiences. You also get unblemished emotions, ranging from homeliness, to loss, to desire, and a love story that is so untraditional in doctrine, that it makes you want to be a part of it.
Jonathan is every literature geek's dream. Handsome, obscure, slightly older. And Carrie is just the right girl to fall for him. Little does she know what she's in for...well, aside from the fact that he asks her to be his slave within hours of acquainting. "Meet me at 3 pm," he says, handing her a folded note with an address. Obviously, Carrie won't take up on his offer; he is a stranger, after all. Miraculously, she does, though. And so begins their long, but surreptitiously short-lived relationship.
The horrors of being beaten as a sexual fetish have always dawned on me. I've never found it arousing, or even amusing in the least. Carrie's Story hasn't changed that in me, but I still admit many of the sex scenes are mind-blowing. The fact that one could love the person who beats and whips them until bruises brandish, and permanent welts form, is beyond my perception. Molly Weatherfield however, does an extraordinary job convincing me.
A question arises while reading this novel: How is the fine line between two lovers and a slave and a master determined? I always thought it would be difference in inclination of emotions, but after reading Carrie's Story, I've learned that the way you as a woman, feel about your lover, is not too distant from the way you as a slave, feel about your master. And that is the message Carrie tries to bear.
Stephanie Loves: Jonathan's parting letter to Carrie that made me cry:
"Dear Carrie,
You will continue brave and beautiful, I know. In a year, you'll be much more so than you are now. I sold you at this auction because I wanted to see if I—and you—could pull it off. But I also did it because if I hadn't done it, I would have wanted to call the whole game off and see if we could become friends. Or lovers. Or something. Go to the movies and see if we liked the same ones. I still want to and this is both surprising and disturbing ...
Salut, J."
Source: Naked Reader Book Club via EdenFantasys for review.
Rating: 9 out of 10 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf.
UPDATE!! Molly Weatherfield's infamous, haunting, and time-revered S/m novel has recently received a makeover! This new Cleis Press reissue has a fabulous foreword by Tristan Taormino, as well as a gorgeous public transportation-friendly cover:
Before there was Anastasia, there was Carrie...
You think Fifty Shades kickstarted the contemporary scene's BDSM obsession? Think again; Carrie's Story came first.
It's been nearly two years since I first read and reviewed Weatherfield's 1995 classic, so it was rather sinfully nostalgic coming back. Carrie's Story is the first BDSM novel I ever read—my initiator, you could say—and it was probably the best-written, most tragic breaking-into I could have possibly asked for. Since then, I guess my taste in erotica has been de-virginized (...deflowered? ...done in the ass?). I remember when just looking at the old cover made me queasy, and the concept of whipping and caning itself made me sick to the stomach. Since then, I've made progress, so rereading this neo-Victorian love story was interesting, to say the least.
When it comes to erotica, especially when it's as hardcore as this, the mainstream is too scared—too polite—to really give it a chance. The seediness, the raunch, the explosive, completely intentional sex—it certainly can be a little daunting. But I think Carrie's Story is exactly the type of book that could quell those fears, bridging the vanilla to the... rocky road, shall we call it?
Aside from containing some of stormiest sex scenes I've read in literature (there's no steamy or sizzling here; it's all temper, passion, and of course, pain—both physical and emotional), books like Carrie's Story are so valuable because of the emotional resonance they convey. The helplessness of a love so strong, it will slowly disintegrate if left alone, is perfectly woven through shameless romps of wicked sex. Weatherfield's compelling, absorbing prose wraps readers up into a chilling, powerful narrative that reads like the wisps of a sensual dream, and the plot, in the end, leaves readers aching. At once an emotional ride and an undisciplined frolic in the dark and complex world of BDSM, Carrie's Story combines all the naughty bits—all the chocolate, marshmallow, and of course, nuts—into a relatable, tender love story.
And just to assuage you vanilla folk, I'll end with this: Carrie's Story is like designer-brand erotica; you won't find anything better-written or more intelligent in the genre. It's lyrical, and even its most explicit of passages are tasteful... well, as tasteful as human ponies and sex slaves get. But let's give credit where it's due: there's only so much dignity that one can carry while bound and gagged.
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)
February 2, 2011
Man, it’s hard to find good porn. And I was hopeful about this book, I truly was. Apparently I have been spoiled by the Internet, though. Or perhaps I am just more perverse than I thought I was. Perhaps, five years ago this book would have shocked me…or made me hot. But…now?
Carrie’s Story is exactly what the title says it is - Carrie’s account of being a sexual slave to Jonathan, a rich, good-looking guy with a penchant for having his shoes licked and beating Carrie’s perfect ass.
Carrie’s a smart cookie. She analyzes every little thing that happens to her and makes no apology for the fact that S/M turns her on. And, to her credit, Weatherfield doesn’t make any apology for it either. She acknowledges that whatever floats the boat between consenting adults - even if that means acting like a pony - is fine by her. And she writes about it intelligently.
But for me it was just so-so in the erotic department. I guess I just like my porn to be, well, pornier.
Carrie’s Story is exactly what the title says it is - Carrie’s account of being a sexual slave to Jonathan, a rich, good-looking guy with a penchant for having his shoes licked and beating Carrie’s perfect ass.
Carrie’s a smart cookie. She analyzes every little thing that happens to her and makes no apology for the fact that S/M turns her on. And, to her credit, Weatherfield doesn’t make any apology for it either. She acknowledges that whatever floats the boat between consenting adults - even if that means acting like a pony - is fine by her. And she writes about it intelligently.
But for me it was just so-so in the erotic department. I guess I just like my porn to be, well, pornier.
July 30, 2020
In the description of this book there is the bold claim that it can somehow be compared to Story of O. Although usually the big words repel me, in this case this claim triggered my curiosity and as the book seemed to be what I am looking for in this genre I decided to read it. From the beginning I realized that this comparison is not at all accidental. The author follows the same pattern of a woman's story that is voluntarily surenders her self over to a man and does everything to satisfy his extreme sexual desires, that are including hard sex, torture and absolute obedience. Of course, the author goes a little further, letting her imagination gallop (not a random word choice), escaping from anything realistic, which I admit I did not mind at all, as obviously there are no limits in sexual fantasies.
A book exploring our harsh sexual fantasies through several sensual pages. Quite well written, especially at its most sexual moments, which is basically the purpose that was written. You see, the writer is not trying to convince us that her purpose was to study the psychological effects of such sexual behaviour and other such bloated things. There are, of course, some thoughts about the heroine's psychology, above all, however, the purpose was obviously to create a story that will positively upset the reader through the exploration of a sexual fantasy, and I think that it does this very well.
Στην περιγραφή αυτού του βιβλίου υπάρχει ο τολμηρός ισχυρισμός ότι μπορεί με κάποιον τρόπο να συγκριθεί με το Η ιστορία της Ο. Αν και συνήθως τα μεγάλα λόγια με απωθούν, σε αυτή την περίπτωση αυτός ο ισχυρισμός μου κίνησε την περιέργεια και καθώς το βιβλίο φαινόταν να είναι αυτό που ψάχνω σε αυτό το είδος αποφάσισα να το διαβάσω. Από την αρχή κατάλαβα ότι αυτή η σύγκριση δεν είναι καθόλου τυχαία. Η συγγραφέας ακολουθεί το ίδιο μοτίβο της ιστορίας μιας γυναίκας που εθελοντικά παραδίδεται στα χέρια ενός άνδρα και κάνει τα πάντα για να ικανοποιήσει τις ακραίες σεξουαλικές επιθυμίες του, που και περιλαμβάνουν σκληρό σεξ, βασανιστήρια και απόλυτη υπακοή. Βέβαια στη συνέχεια η συγγραφέας πάει αρκετά παραπέρα, αφήνοντας την φαντασία της να καλπάσει (όχι τυχαία επιλογή λέξης), ξεφεύγοντας από οτιδήποτε ρεαλιστικό, κάτι που ομολογώ ότι δεν με πείραξε καθόλου καθώς προφανώς στις σεξουαλικές φαντασιώσεις δεν υπάρχουν όρια.
Ένα βιβλίο που εξερευνά τις σκληρές σεξουαλικές φαντασιώσεις μας μέσα από αρκετές αισθησιακές σελίδες. Αρκετά καλά γραμμένο, ειδικά στις πιο ερωτικές στιγμές του που βασικά είναι και ο σκοπός που γράφτηκε. Βλέπετε η συγγραφέας δεν προσπαθεί να πείσει ότι ο σκοπός της ήταν η μελέτη των ψυχολογικών επιπτώσεων μιας τέτοιας σεξουαλικής συμπεριφοράς και άλλα τέτοια βαρυσήμαντα. Υπάρχουν φυσικά μερικές σκέψεις για την ψυχολογία της ηρωίδας, πάνω από όλα, όμως, ο σκοπός φανερά ήταν να δημιουργήσει μία ιστορία που θα αναστατώσει θετικά τον αναγνώστη μέσα από την εξερεύνηση μίας σεξουαλικής φαντασίωσης και νομίζω ότι αυτό το καταφέρνει πάρα πολύ καλά.
A book exploring our harsh sexual fantasies through several sensual pages. Quite well written, especially at its most sexual moments, which is basically the purpose that was written. You see, the writer is not trying to convince us that her purpose was to study the psychological effects of such sexual behaviour and other such bloated things. There are, of course, some thoughts about the heroine's psychology, above all, however, the purpose was obviously to create a story that will positively upset the reader through the exploration of a sexual fantasy, and I think that it does this very well.
Στην περιγραφή αυτού του βιβλίου υπάρχει ο τολμηρός ισχυρισμός ότι μπορεί με κάποιον τρόπο να συγκριθεί με το Η ιστορία της Ο. Αν και συνήθως τα μεγάλα λόγια με απωθούν, σε αυτή την περίπτωση αυτός ο ισχυρισμός μου κίνησε την περιέργεια και καθώς το βιβλίο φαινόταν να είναι αυτό που ψάχνω σε αυτό το είδος αποφάσισα να το διαβάσω. Από την αρχή κατάλαβα ότι αυτή η σύγκριση δεν είναι καθόλου τυχαία. Η συγγραφέας ακολουθεί το ίδιο μοτίβο της ιστορίας μιας γυναίκας που εθελοντικά παραδίδεται στα χέρια ενός άνδρα και κάνει τα πάντα για να ικανοποιήσει τις ακραίες σεξουαλικές επιθυμίες του, που και περιλαμβάνουν σκληρό σεξ, βασανιστήρια και απόλυτη υπακοή. Βέβαια στη συνέχεια η συγγραφέας πάει αρκετά παραπέρα, αφήνοντας την φαντασία της να καλπάσει (όχι τυχαία επιλογή λέξης), ξεφεύγοντας από οτιδήποτε ρεαλιστικό, κάτι που ομολογώ ότι δεν με πείραξε καθόλου καθώς προφανώς στις σεξουαλικές φαντασιώσεις δεν υπάρχουν όρια.
Ένα βιβλίο που εξερευνά τις σκληρές σεξουαλικές φαντασιώσεις μας μέσα από αρκετές αισθησιακές σελίδες. Αρκετά καλά γραμμένο, ειδικά στις πιο ερωτικές στιγμές του που βασικά είναι και ο σκοπός που γράφτηκε. Βλέπετε η συγγραφέας δεν προσπαθεί να πείσει ότι ο σκοπός της ήταν η μελέτη των ψυχολογικών επιπτώσεων μιας τέτοιας σεξουαλικής συμπεριφοράς και άλλα τέτοια βαρυσήμαντα. Υπάρχουν φυσικά μερικές σκέψεις για την ψυχολογία της ηρωίδας, πάνω από όλα, όμως, ο σκοπός φανερά ήταν να δημιουργήσει μία ιστορία που θα αναστατώσει θετικά τον αναγνώστη μέσα από την εξερεύνηση μίας σεξουαλικής φαντασίωσης και νομίζω ότι αυτό το καταφέρνει πάρα πολύ καλά.
November 13, 2011
This book was just okay for me. It took me six weeks to finally get through the book. The concept was sound. It reminded me of Marketplace mixed with the Story of O. I couldn't get into this story. Perhaps if I read this in 1995 when it was first written and when I was only 20, I might have found this to be exciting and enjoyed it. After everything I've read, this was rather sad and bland for me. I think it's because I didn't like Carrie's narrative. Her constant pondering and thinking drove me to sleep.
The training of the ponies was eh, just meh to me. The BDSM was more on D/s which was okay if I cared about Carrie or Jonathan. I was more interested in Margot and Kate. I think this is a book for those who enjoyed Story of O and are new to BDSM.
The training of the ponies was eh, just meh to me. The BDSM was more on D/s which was okay if I cared about Carrie or Jonathan. I was more interested in Margot and Kate. I think this is a book for those who enjoyed Story of O and are new to BDSM.
December 25, 2014
This was a disturbing story, to say the least. It wasn’t quite as sexually graphic as I’d expected and it certainly wasn’t erotic. I won’t even pretend to understand the whole ‘pony farm’ scenario or why someone would allow themselves to be abused in that way. It’s real sad and disturbing.
I never learned anything about Carrie’s childhood or how she came to be interested, then involved in, a BD/SM (bondage/discipline, domination/submission) relationship. I can’t understand why the author never let us in on it.
This book has a sequal called Safe Word. The author also writes historical romances under the name Pam Rosenthal.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2013
There's a lot packed into these 212 pages. This should've been a 5 star read for me because it tickled many of my kinky buttons....but it wasn't. Like BookAddict I didn't care for Carrie or Jonathan; i nearly dropped my precious iPad mini over the the ending. Ugh that made me SO mad.,
What I love about BDSM erotica and RL play is the escapism. 95% of the time I have to be pedantic, analytical....a deconstructionist. I read/play for a frekking break from it all. A rare author can arouse my intellect and mind without making me feel like a civil war has erupted in my body. I think Weatherfield tried to do both but wasn't successful IMHO. The obvious references to a Story of O and to The Sleeping Beauty series also annoyed me. ...maybe I should pick this up again when I'm in a better mood. *le sigh*
What I love about BDSM erotica and RL play is the escapism. 95% of the time I have to be pedantic, analytical....a deconstructionist. I read/play for a frekking break from it all. A rare author can arouse my intellect and mind without making me feel like a civil war has erupted in my body. I think Weatherfield tried to do both but wasn't successful IMHO. The obvious references to a Story of O and to The Sleeping Beauty series also annoyed me. ...maybe I should pick this up again when I'm in a better mood. *le sigh*
October 14, 2014
This book found me at The Thrift Store.
The price tage said 2.95 USD.
I don't buy books from The Thrift Store any more because they're too expensive.
The price tage said 2.95 USD.
I don't buy books from The Thrift Store any more because they're too expensive.
August 2, 2015
brilliant book, even if I was never quite sure if it was real or just another fiction book, the way it's written it could very easily be a true story.
loved Jonathan's letter at the end, I was beginning to worry about him & his motives etc, off to read Safe Word now :-)
loved Jonathan's letter at the end, I was beginning to worry about him & his motives etc, off to read Safe Word now :-)
June 22, 2016
WOW after all that, thats why he sold his slave? yeeesh.....
The way the book was written? my god, it was awful..... loved the storyline behind it though..
It was written in the females point of view
The way the book was written? my god, it was awful..... loved the storyline behind it though..
It was written in the females point of view
April 30, 2019
This was one of the first erotic novels gifted to me and it started the journey of writing in this genre many years ago.
November 6, 2011
This is a well written look into the life of a beautiful young woman who delves deep into the slavery game. I found myself both facinated and repulsed by what Carrie allows to be done to her, treated as if she is little more than a favored pet by her owner/master. She goes so far as to agree to be handled like a horse, given no more respect than a trainer would show toward a well bred horse. She spends one week kept in a horse stall, sleeping on straw and fed dog food. During her "training" she is forced to wear a bit, harness and tail, then made to pull a cart with a driver, sometimes while wearing high-heel shoes on a cross country trail. I don't think you could ever look at this novel as a romance, but it certainly was an eye opener for me into a lifestyle I know next to nothing about. It does nothing to glamorize the life of a willing slave and leaves me questioning how anyone young and smart could find satisfaction in life living as another person's piece of property, to do with whatever they want whenever they want. Reading about Carrie might make a person think twice before taking that step into the lifestyle.
September 30, 2010
Okay... Well. Some of the sex is very hot, and the heroine is a delight: just the kind of over-intellectualising, dryly ironic, secretly romantic kind of girl I fancy. And she likes Older Men--- all the better.
But the whole American take on the secret-BDSM-society-of-incredibly-wealthy-and-attractive-people is just somehow a step off (and, yes, I deliberately didn't use 'beat'...) In a book written and set in Europe, a certain aristo world-weariness is necessary. In San Francisco and L.A., it all comes across as cockiness and too much GQ and verges into the silly. And the "ponygirl" thing is exceptionally silly. Too many props, not enough intellectual exploration of s/m as a performance, as a kind of intellectual game.
Still... I like Carrie and her attitude. Though the character deserves a better plot.
But the whole American take on the secret-BDSM-society-of-incredibly-wealthy-and-attractive-people is just somehow a step off (and, yes, I deliberately didn't use 'beat'...) In a book written and set in Europe, a certain aristo world-weariness is necessary. In San Francisco and L.A., it all comes across as cockiness and too much GQ and verges into the silly. And the "ponygirl" thing is exceptionally silly. Too many props, not enough intellectual exploration of s/m as a performance, as a kind of intellectual game.
Still... I like Carrie and her attitude. Though the character deserves a better plot.
March 20, 2010
Carrie has plateaued in her training as a slave/submissive. Although she loves her master, they both realize a change is needed. So he enrolls her in a special training school. There, she has many adventures as she goes through "Ponygirl" training. We get some very good bondage and discipline, good sex, and a good story.
This book reminded me a lot of the Marketplace series by Laura Antoniou They both take place on secluded farms where everyone is taking liberties with the animals. I especially liked all the supporting characters.
This book reminded me a lot of the Marketplace series by Laura Antoniou They both take place on secluded farms where everyone is taking liberties with the animals. I especially liked all the supporting characters.
February 5, 2022
Read a long time ago and don't really remember the details except that it was my first S/M book and that I enjoyed it well enough.
October 2, 2010
“All Aboard for the BDSM World Tour!”
The Plot:
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that Carrie’s Story is a story about a girl named Carrie, but what you might not know is that Carrie’s story is really quite fascinating. Carrie is a student and part-time bike messenger who, through a wanton encounter at a party, finds herself innocently recruited into a demanding Master/slave relationship with a weathly business-man named Jonathan. Carrie is smitten with Jonathan and his quirks, and they quickly fall into a routine of dominance and submission that Carrie finds at once challenging, arousing and endlessly compelling.
When one day Jonathan mentions that he is interested in auctioning Carrie off, their relationship turns into a complex effort to school Carrie on the ways of a true slave — complete with a week in the stables, countless “Uncles” and “Muffies,” slave conditioning abroad, and the pièce de résistance… the auction itself.
Zelda’s Take:
I’ll admit that I was hesitant to pick up Carrie’s Story initially because the description on Amazon references pony-play, and, frankly, it’s just not my thing. But I was so pleased that I did end up reading it, because I found Carrie’s experiences really captivating — even the small section that covers her week at the stables! I appreciated her matter-of-fact attitude, her inexperience and her endless desire to submit and succeed. In a way, I see a lot of myself in Carrie… sans the whole rich dom with a housekeeper thing.
I loved the process of the book — hence, the “Tour” — the discovery of Carrie’s kink, how she’s taken in and trained by Jonathan, the point when Jonathan’s demeanor cracks a bit, the changing of their relationship, Carrie’s exposure to pony-play, the auction tests, the prelude to the auction and, finally, the auction itself. BDSM is a process. Most people don’t go from vanilla to collared in the blink of an eye, so I found Carrie’s introduction to and tour through the world of BDSM quite realistic. I admired her resolve throughout to please and to submit, but also that she never failed to recognize and acknowledge her own intelligence. Carrie was very deliberate in her submission and did so with her eyes wide open, despite the fact that her intelligence and cognizance often got her in trouble.
I think the most fascinating part of the book is the auction process in itself. I loved this fantasy world that Molly Weatherfield has created… it is a fantasy, right? ’cause if this really exists, I want to know about it ;) But from the training and scening to the computerization and the general mindfuck, it was very well-concocted. I loved the scene especially between Carrie and Margot. I thought the sexual undertones (and overtones) between the two were just so titillating that I couldn’t help but cry for more, more, more.
In fact, it isn’t often that a particular quote in a book inspires me to utilize the highlighting feature on my Kindle, but this one did it for sure. From Margot to Carrie:
“What gets to me and you is power, coercive power. Force, directed. I make you do something, go somewhere, be as I wish. You, your flesh, your prazza. And what I especially like, what has always fascinated me, is making you work at it. I love the fact that you get around here on your own, that you deliver yourself to me, that it is always a stretch, an effort of will and intelligence, to become an object.”
A stretch. An effort of will and intelligence. This kind of embodies what a D/s relationship is, for me, in such a beautiful way.
I also love that the ending left so much promise and intrigue, which is why I’m especially excited to read Weatherfield’s follow-up novel to Carrie’s Story, Safe Word, to follow Carrie’s journey further into slavery.
The Plot:
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that Carrie’s Story is a story about a girl named Carrie, but what you might not know is that Carrie’s story is really quite fascinating. Carrie is a student and part-time bike messenger who, through a wanton encounter at a party, finds herself innocently recruited into a demanding Master/slave relationship with a weathly business-man named Jonathan. Carrie is smitten with Jonathan and his quirks, and they quickly fall into a routine of dominance and submission that Carrie finds at once challenging, arousing and endlessly compelling.
When one day Jonathan mentions that he is interested in auctioning Carrie off, their relationship turns into a complex effort to school Carrie on the ways of a true slave — complete with a week in the stables, countless “Uncles” and “Muffies,” slave conditioning abroad, and the pièce de résistance… the auction itself.
Zelda’s Take:
I’ll admit that I was hesitant to pick up Carrie’s Story initially because the description on Amazon references pony-play, and, frankly, it’s just not my thing. But I was so pleased that I did end up reading it, because I found Carrie’s experiences really captivating — even the small section that covers her week at the stables! I appreciated her matter-of-fact attitude, her inexperience and her endless desire to submit and succeed. In a way, I see a lot of myself in Carrie… sans the whole rich dom with a housekeeper thing.
I loved the process of the book — hence, the “Tour” — the discovery of Carrie’s kink, how she’s taken in and trained by Jonathan, the point when Jonathan’s demeanor cracks a bit, the changing of their relationship, Carrie’s exposure to pony-play, the auction tests, the prelude to the auction and, finally, the auction itself. BDSM is a process. Most people don’t go from vanilla to collared in the blink of an eye, so I found Carrie’s introduction to and tour through the world of BDSM quite realistic. I admired her resolve throughout to please and to submit, but also that she never failed to recognize and acknowledge her own intelligence. Carrie was very deliberate in her submission and did so with her eyes wide open, despite the fact that her intelligence and cognizance often got her in trouble.
I think the most fascinating part of the book is the auction process in itself. I loved this fantasy world that Molly Weatherfield has created… it is a fantasy, right? ’cause if this really exists, I want to know about it ;) But from the training and scening to the computerization and the general mindfuck, it was very well-concocted. I loved the scene especially between Carrie and Margot. I thought the sexual undertones (and overtones) between the two were just so titillating that I couldn’t help but cry for more, more, more.
In fact, it isn’t often that a particular quote in a book inspires me to utilize the highlighting feature on my Kindle, but this one did it for sure. From Margot to Carrie:
“What gets to me and you is power, coercive power. Force, directed. I make you do something, go somewhere, be as I wish. You, your flesh, your prazza. And what I especially like, what has always fascinated me, is making you work at it. I love the fact that you get around here on your own, that you deliver yourself to me, that it is always a stretch, an effort of will and intelligence, to become an object.”
A stretch. An effort of will and intelligence. This kind of embodies what a D/s relationship is, for me, in such a beautiful way.
I also love that the ending left so much promise and intrigue, which is why I’m especially excited to read Weatherfield’s follow-up novel to Carrie’s Story, Safe Word, to follow Carrie’s journey further into slavery.
December 27, 2016
Molly Weatherfield is Pam Rosenthal and she wrote this book in the early 90s. By Weatherfield's own declaration in the preface it's not 'romance' or 'erotica' but 'pornography’. There is something quite nice, quite liberating to have an author call a spade a spade. This is porn, for women and you don't have to label it something else in order to make its consumption acceptable.
It’s BDSM too and, as the foreword points out, was a far more controversial book back when it was first published. Pre-FSOG and blindfolds and whips going mainstream.
There’s an interesting and intelligent exploration of some of the issues with BDSM erotica – submission, feminism, power exchange and the progression that’s taken place in that kind of writing in the foreword to this novel titled ’The Thinking Woman’s Submissive’.
If you’re reading this don't expect pages of background or scene setting or exposition. It isn't here, that's not what this book is about, although because Weatherfield is brilliant you get insight and characterization anyway, boiled down in an offhand comment or a passing sentence.
The heroine is Carrie. A young woman drawn into a BDSM relationship who eventually agrees to sell herself into sex slavery for a year. That probably makes this book sound quite hardcore, which is appropriate because this book is pretty bloody hardcore. Be under no illusions folks, this is brutal stuff. It put me in mind of Power Play: Awakening. I would never do what Carrie has chosen (and that's such a key word here, because, never, not for a moment, do you think this isn't a free choice) to do and I'm amazed that anyone sticks it out given what happens. It's dystopian in tone. Handmaid's Tale like, except here there's been no apocalyptic event, just a woman who wants to push herself, or, I suppose, have others push her.
Carrie is intelligent and thoughtful about the whole experience. Through her Weatherfield subtlety explores various strands of thinking about BDSM and women’s participation in it. This is a first person perspective book and Carrie's not a bad character with whom to spend time.
The writing is fluid and straightforward. I suppose one might expect something a bit more literary from Rosenthal, but this is Weatherfield, and this is porn, so I think it almost has to be straightforward to function.
It’s difficult to categorise this book. I didn’t find it particularly erotic or particularly hawt (compare Rosenthal’s historical which are sexy AF). It’s not a romance either (although there’s a follow up I haven’t read yet, which I think leans towards HEA or HFN) and doesn’t have an especially gripping story which kept me hooked.
I did, however, find it interesting, engaging and well-written. And, because I’ve read Rosenthal, I can definitely see the influence of Weatherfield's thinking and writing and sexual exploration in this book, on the sex scenes in Rosenthal’s historicals.
I have the follow-up on my Kindle and I will be reading soon to see the outcome of Carrie’s story. I enjoyed this, although not perhaps in the way I expected, or for the reasons I expected when I first purchased it.
It’s BDSM too and, as the foreword points out, was a far more controversial book back when it was first published. Pre-FSOG and blindfolds and whips going mainstream.
There’s an interesting and intelligent exploration of some of the issues with BDSM erotica – submission, feminism, power exchange and the progression that’s taken place in that kind of writing in the foreword to this novel titled ’The Thinking Woman’s Submissive’.
If you’re reading this don't expect pages of background or scene setting or exposition. It isn't here, that's not what this book is about, although because Weatherfield is brilliant you get insight and characterization anyway, boiled down in an offhand comment or a passing sentence.
The heroine is Carrie. A young woman drawn into a BDSM relationship who eventually agrees to sell herself into sex slavery for a year. That probably makes this book sound quite hardcore, which is appropriate because this book is pretty bloody hardcore. Be under no illusions folks, this is brutal stuff. It put me in mind of Power Play: Awakening. I would never do what Carrie has chosen (and that's such a key word here, because, never, not for a moment, do you think this isn't a free choice) to do and I'm amazed that anyone sticks it out given what happens. It's dystopian in tone. Handmaid's Tale like, except here there's been no apocalyptic event, just a woman who wants to push herself, or, I suppose, have others push her.
Carrie is intelligent and thoughtful about the whole experience. Through her Weatherfield subtlety explores various strands of thinking about BDSM and women’s participation in it. This is a first person perspective book and Carrie's not a bad character with whom to spend time.
The writing is fluid and straightforward. I suppose one might expect something a bit more literary from Rosenthal, but this is Weatherfield, and this is porn, so I think it almost has to be straightforward to function.
It’s difficult to categorise this book. I didn’t find it particularly erotic or particularly hawt (compare Rosenthal’s historical which are sexy AF). It’s not a romance either (although there’s a follow up I haven’t read yet, which I think leans towards HEA or HFN) and doesn’t have an especially gripping story which kept me hooked.
I did, however, find it interesting, engaging and well-written. And, because I’ve read Rosenthal, I can definitely see the influence of Weatherfield's thinking and writing and sexual exploration in this book, on the sex scenes in Rosenthal’s historicals.
I have the follow-up on my Kindle and I will be reading soon to see the outcome of Carrie’s story. I enjoyed this, although not perhaps in the way I expected, or for the reasons I expected when I first purchased it.
Read
May 15, 2012I honestly haven't got a clue how many stars to give this book. I found it incredibly disturbing and not in the least erotic to me but absolutely fascinating and by far the best written of any "erotica" I have ever encountered. The main character is a college student who meets a man at a party and gets involved in a BDSM culture first with him in an odd mix between a pure d/s relationship and a dating relationship...and later into a much more hard core demeaning abuse sub world and ultimately becomes a sex slave but she is, especially in the first and last thirds of the book, quite analytical about her journey throughout these worlds. I found the whole book upsetting and the middle of the book which was a bit heavier on the humiliations and lighter on her thoughts about it was kind of excruciating to read...but it was also really interesting and quite thought provoking. I can't say that I really understand the main characters attraction to absolute and total subservience and the willingness of a clearly competent woman with positive life options to make the choices that she does in this book but I did find her perhaps as relate-able as I could any women who would make these choices. There is a second book about Carrie and her life as a sex slave which, while it does interest me, may be more than I want to endure. Or at least, for now, it is more than I want to endure..maybe later the curiousity will get the best of me
I discovered this book in an article discussing the pop-phenomenon of the 50 Shades of Grey books and it was mentioned as the "dirtiest book" the author of the article had ever read. I am not sure what "dirties" means exactly but it definitely was not BDSM-lite for a main stream audience the way the Grey books are.
I discovered this book in an article discussing the pop-phenomenon of the 50 Shades of Grey books and it was mentioned as the "dirtiest book" the author of the article had ever read. I am not sure what "dirties" means exactly but it definitely was not BDSM-lite for a main stream audience the way the Grey books are.
February 28, 2013
Holy moly! I'm gushing like a schoolgirl and my Inner Goddess is dancing a very wet Cha Cha. Carrie's Story is an absolute classic of the genre: true literature that delivers erotic wonders. It is far superior to the sometimes silly and frustrating 50 Shades of Grey with which it is often compared. I have read this novel several times since its first publication, cover to cover. Not just revisiting the hot scenes (of which there are many, and they are mind-blowing), but getting pulled along on the whole dreamy journey from awakening desire to abject fulfillment. Smart, hyper-articulate, funny and brave, Carrie is my favorite erotica heroine bar none. Her epic plunge into the world of submissive pleasures is a classic bedtime story for BDSM fans who don't want to check their brains and conscience at the dungeon door.
Opening this new Cleis Press edition was like greeting an old lover (who dressed up sexy, wore delicious perfume and caressed the back of my neck with her leather gloves, whispering sweetly stern reprimands in my ear). The riding crop on the cover is a potent and promising image, sparking a little jolt of dread and desire whenever I catch a glimpse of it.
Of course, smart and gorgeously rendered sex and power exchanges is not everyone's cup of tea. Carrie's Story may not be appropriate for your church book club. But for those of us who hark to the call of submissive pleasures, it doesn't get any better than this. Don't miss out on this book.
Opening this new Cleis Press edition was like greeting an old lover (who dressed up sexy, wore delicious perfume and caressed the back of my neck with her leather gloves, whispering sweetly stern reprimands in my ear). The riding crop on the cover is a potent and promising image, sparking a little jolt of dread and desire whenever I catch a glimpse of it.
Of course, smart and gorgeously rendered sex and power exchanges is not everyone's cup of tea. Carrie's Story may not be appropriate for your church book club. But for those of us who hark to the call of submissive pleasures, it doesn't get any better than this. Don't miss out on this book.
January 11, 2013
the writing was fine and the setup plausible enough, but i found the particulars of this world so alien and distasteful that i simply can't rate it higher.
and this isn't vanilla prudery on my part (or, rather, it isn't MERELY vanilla prudery), because there are plenty of stories featuring light S&M or menage or whatever other kinks that i've really loved (if maybe blushed over). but i guess after reading enough tales of BDSM at this point in my sudden, involved, and prolonged foray into romance/erotica, i can confidently say that unless a hardcore BDSM lifestyle really turns your crank (and, rock on, you! turn that crank), then this tale will probably (a) not do anything for you sexually or romantically, (b) sort of horrify you, and (c) kind of drag on and on.
most of the time i was reading this i felt like a clinician observing a patient -- i felt removed and cerebral and puzzled. NOT what i'm looking for in a romance or erotic reading experience.
RATED: Not My Bag, Baby
and this isn't vanilla prudery on my part (or, rather, it isn't MERELY vanilla prudery), because there are plenty of stories featuring light S&M or menage or whatever other kinks that i've really loved (if maybe blushed over). but i guess after reading enough tales of BDSM at this point in my sudden, involved, and prolonged foray into romance/erotica, i can confidently say that unless a hardcore BDSM lifestyle really turns your crank (and, rock on, you! turn that crank), then this tale will probably (a) not do anything for you sexually or romantically, (b) sort of horrify you, and (c) kind of drag on and on.
most of the time i was reading this i felt like a clinician observing a patient -- i felt removed and cerebral and puzzled. NOT what i'm looking for in a romance or erotic reading experience.
RATED: Not My Bag, Baby
July 3, 2011
This is so far out of the realm of what I normally read that I'm still thinking about this book two weeks later. It was described as a hardcore BSDM story but I felt it more bizzare than hardcore. When I got to the "ponies" I literally couldn't stop laughing. I really have nothing to compare this book to as far as BDSM scenes to but I find Laurell K. Hamilton's books more smutty and graphic than this; of course, BDSM isn't all about sex like some of Laurell's books are so that might be why. I will normally say that I will read anything and I think this sure proves it. It's not a bad story and I think the writing is brilliant, but the content isn't my thing and that's ok. I do adore Carrie due in part to the fantastic writing and I want to read Safe Word just to see what happens to her.
May 28, 2012
As with all books about true Master/slave relationships, I found this one vaguely disturbing and fascinating.
The opening is unlikely - a young girl who is a bit awkward at a party is approached by a handsome, older, wealthy man for whom she ends up in a sort of training - sort of servitude.
All in all - a good read - not as severe as the Story of O, but definitely in that style.
Interestingly, as in all these types of novels, the female protagonist is far more developed than the Master. She inspires sympathy and - in this reviewer's case - a wished-for empathy. Lovely story - I would encourage it as it does have a HEA - which O did not.
The opening is unlikely - a young girl who is a bit awkward at a party is approached by a handsome, older, wealthy man for whom she ends up in a sort of training - sort of servitude.
All in all - a good read - not as severe as the Story of O, but definitely in that style.
Interestingly, as in all these types of novels, the female protagonist is far more developed than the Master. She inspires sympathy and - in this reviewer's case - a wished-for empathy. Lovely story - I would encourage it as it does have a HEA - which O did not.
March 17, 2013
This is the book that satisfied my curiosity about BDSM. Author Molly Weatherfield's Carrie is a thinking woman and although her reasons for contracting herself out as a slave make sense to her, they don't really make sense to me. So I'm considering myself more educated on kink than I was before. But the pony thing, man -- it made me very uncomfortable in Anne Rice's Beauty books and didn't like it here, either. But kudos to Weatherfield for an intelligent and well-written book. Not as erotic as I expected, actually a little clinical and dry.
October 1, 2010
It's been a while since I read these... From what I remember, both this and Safe Word had some hot scenes in them. The stories themselves were a little flat. I remember shaking my head at the idea that Carrie was a grad student. I did like the scene (in Carrie's Story, I think) where she was placed in a horse trailer and driven to a farm. I don't find pony scenes that hot, normally, but here it was exciting.
July 6, 2011
I wasn't expecting romance with this one, but I did have a hard time with some of the book. Carrie seemed okay to let the experience be painful instead of sensual and that's just not my thing.
But I do have to say, the story was well written. While it may not have been my kind of story, it was still a good book. I had my moments where I cringed and I also had moments where I got really into it. But the more painful side was never for me.
But I do have to say, the story was well written. While it may not have been my kind of story, it was still a good book. I had my moments where I cringed and I also had moments where I got really into it. But the more painful side was never for me.
April 21, 2012
Carrie's Story was a decent exploration of the BDSM world, but I just couldn't empathize with any of the characters. The story is told from Carrie's perspective and it's an in-detail look of her life with Jonathan (and post Jonathan).
I felt that this book should have been exciting, page turning even, and the scenarios were interesting, but the overall flow of the book had me feeling like she was reading her grocery list.
I felt that this book should have been exciting, page turning even, and the scenarios were interesting, but the overall flow of the book had me feeling like she was reading her grocery list.
September 25, 2012
3 maybe 3 1/2 stars
Book was good... I liked it alot and REALLY starting loving it when she was getting ready for the auction.... LOVED the pony ranch, was 100% my favorite part of the book!!!
Slow to start but did pick up... not a very long book ( only 200 pages) so a good fast fun, sexy read to get ya going!!
I really love being taken on Carrie's journey and can't wait to start Safe word and see where she is off to now since she has been sold at the auction!!
Book was good... I liked it alot and REALLY starting loving it when she was getting ready for the auction.... LOVED the pony ranch, was 100% my favorite part of the book!!!
Slow to start but did pick up... not a very long book ( only 200 pages) so a good fast fun, sexy read to get ya going!!
I really love being taken on Carrie's journey and can't wait to start Safe word and see where she is off to now since she has been sold at the auction!!
Read
July 3, 2012Unlike the brooding, atmospheric, "Twilight"-esque and deadly-dull "50 Shades...", this book races at breakneck pace into a vivid relationship of passion and control. While extremely candid, the narrative is never salacious nor repulsive. I found it made me evaluate power & control in a number of life settings. Followed by "Safe Word," a slightly less convincing continuation that alternates focus between Carrie and her master.
March 13, 2013
I normally don't like D/s fiction as the women seem to be unappealing doormats, but this was an exception, featuring a central character who knows exactly what she is doing and chooses to explore deeper and deeper into her own submissiveness without ever losing her own identity. Not only did this make for a fascinating story and character study, it made this example of a usually degrading genre as hot as hell. It deserves it's reputation as an erotic classic.
October 11, 2011
So I did like this book it was different for me...I liked how the character was telling about her lifestyle in the save world! But kept finding myself slacking off on reading it cause id get bored alot so I was a little torn I did like the story but it wasnt a fav.
June 12, 2012
Updated version of "The Story of O" with less humiliation (just a little) and an articulate, intelligent woman. I never read about pony play, and I'm intrigued. I also bought the sequel, and I"m going to start it soon...very interested to see what happens next.
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