content: Perhaps in it's time this book was cutting edge, but for those of us within the lifestyle, it's tame and contrived to a very unsatisfying degree. It's ironic that the film adaptation was watered down even more, and turned into one of the worst movies you're likely to see. Ann Rice didn't deserve such treatment.There are books that capture the true essence of the BDSM fanatsy that are much more engrossing, and interestingly enough, Ms Rice has written them as well. (writing as A. N. Roquelaure, see her trilogy in the Sleeping Beauty series)