Sex in fiction

[Apocalypto]

Could you do without the gory details? I could. I am quite happy for characters in fiction to be at it, but to know that they are at it is all I need, thanks. I don't need a detailed description of his nob or the colour of her areolae. It's oversharing.

Basically I want to know as much about the details of the characters shagging as I do about my friends shagging, i.e. that's enough right there.

Am I weird?

[LittleWhiteWolf]

Not weird. I prefer having the finer details left up to my imagination, but I am happy to read a more detailed description depending on the book. Too much detail or too crude language takes me right out of the moment though.
So, no, not weird!

[kayb123]

recently read the series earth's children by jean m auel found it had lots of 'scene's' and found myself by-passing it all as the detail is OTT and im sure they have more 'scenes' than even possible.. dont mind some just not every other page.

[Whippoorwhill]

Oh totally. I've been reading some of the Eve Dallas books by JD Robb and the sex scenes are totally ludicrous and I find myself just leafing past them to get on with the story.

Oh and a prize should go to Laurell K Hamilton for sex scenes so bogglingly unsexy that it actually puts the reader off the idea... ever again. :)

[looblylu]

I totally agree OP
And I'll second the JD Robb books having cringy sex scenes.... I do not want to read about anybodys "velvet core" thank you very much!

[Apocalypto]

I always laugh out loud like a fool when I read sex scenes like that one looblylu. Try as I may, I cannot stop myself wondering if it's not just the way the writer writes sex, - maybe he / she writes about everything that way.

"He slid his fingers into the soft, velvet core of the Marigolds and felt the warmth and wetness of the washing up water pressing around their second skin. He could feel the moisture at his loins as like a fool he splashed his flies with the dish water, strangely scented with musk...she became aware of his fingers moving with an ever more rapid tempo, and their eyes locked together, in hers a mute asking.

"I'm trying to get the fucking porridge off the saucepan," he explained, his rhythm ever more urgent. "It's sticking like shit to a bastard blanket, I can tell you. Christ."

etc

having never actually met anyone who described doing the washing up in that way I conclude it's most likely just shit writing.

[sieglinde]

Nobody does sex well. Ellipsis is always best. It's ALL bad sex. Let's face it, it comes off like sleaze even when by the posh and much Bookered. Because actually sex is immediate, always, and so recalling it in tranquillity is especially unnatural.

Also....I especially hate ANY reference to 'member' but what can you in reason call the male organ? His manhood? His knob? His joy rod? Or cute period terms like 'his pego'? Ack. My least favourite is DH Lawrence describing Mellors' willy embedded in a holy cloud or halo of gold pubes.

Dunno, but Molly Bloom in Ch 24 of Joyce's Ulysses might be least worst.

[Apocalypto]

I read somewhere that sex and fights in movies are equally unrealistic.

Same with fiction I reckon

[sonearsofar]

I agree.
Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow is a great book, with a real moment about half way through where they go to bed for the 1st time and she fucks him by putting her clitoris in the end of his penis. Could have totally done without it.