I’ve read Daphne Merkin’s essays over the years especially her book on dealing with her depression (you can read my review here). Merkin’s new novel, 22 Minutes of Unconditional Love, chronicles the sexual relationship of a woman named Judith Stone who falls for a lawyer, Howard Ross, who manipulates Judith’s erotic obsessions. As the relationship develops, Howard becomes more domineering and controlling.
The result is “Escaping Howard’s grasp–and her own perverse enjoyment of being under his control–will test the limits of Judith’s capacity to resist the siren call of submission.”
22 Minutes of Unconditional Love is not The Story of O but sexual dominance and submission obsess this couple. Fortunately, this book is only 238 pages. GRADE: C
It always amazes me that elements that seem old hat in post-50 SHADES OF GRAY romance novels are treated as if they’re something new and worthy of analysis in “serious” literary fiction. I could name a number of romance writers who have been examining the dominance & submission dynamic in their work for years, but I daresay none of them have ever written for the New Yorker, so there’d be no interest from the literary quarter in looking at their work with a positive eye.
Deb, Jackie was amazed at how many of her friends tried pushing 50 SHADES on her. She couldn’t get past the first few pages.
Yeah—I couldn’t get into them, but they were a real gateway to romance novels for many women. As I said, there are lots of romance novels that seriously explore dominance & submission dynamics, but I’m absolutely uninterested in Merkin’s book.
Deb, I made the mistake of not reading any reviews of 22 MINUTES OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. In fact, I didn’t know if it was a collection of essays or a novel when I ordered it from the Library online.
Deb, Daphne Merkin made news a few years ago with an essay on her attraction to being spanked.
This interests me as much as the “sex with dinosaurs” novels that cropped up a few years ago. That is, not at all. Now if they added Jack Reacher or Harry Bosch…Nope. Still not interested.
Jerry, as far as I could determine, there wasn’t a minute of “unconditional love” in this book. Lots of sex, though…
“Fortunately, this book is only 238 pages. ”
LOVE that!
Dan, thank you! Feel free to borrow that snarky comment .
Yuck. As if.
Jeff, dominance and submission is a “thing” for some people. Not a fan.