April literary book club

[Unrulysun]

Are we still OK for 'The Bloody Chamber' by Angela Carter on 13th April at 9pm?

And for May Northanger Abbey?

I am utterly rubbish at this publicising/organising lark btw so if anyone else was desperately looking for something to post on AIBU/Twitter/Facebook...

I'm basing this on memories from last reading it decades back, but it seemed to be very sexy in an S&M sort of way. Lots of fuel for masochistic fantasies IYSWIM.

Sadeian Woman definitely not feminist in any sort of Dworkin way, you might get the feeling she loves de Sade more than women. She makes so much sense to me, or did then, I hope I never outgrow her. Doesn't seem likely.

'her cunt glistened like a split fig' iirc :)

yes I see what you mean SSM - is she just showing that rather than promoting it though? The heroine is entirely passive and accepting of her fate isn't she? The choker, the porn, the proposal and marriage - she accepts everything as done to her.

SGM I think she's going back to an older more psychological fairytale which is arguably more feminine (part of an oral tradition which I think Carter would see as female)

That's my favourite! But I am a bit disturbed.

I sort of see it as a literary fairytale. Imagining how it would be to be in the tale with all its horror. Because I do think that fairytales are ways ofworking through the more twisted bits of the human condition.

But I think the bit where her mum rescues her is a kind of feminist joke in a way - like literally 'don't expect some fella to save you love - rely on your mum'.

The prevailing theory as I understand it is that women would tell each other tales with men as the butt and vice versa. And the. There are the ones that are just mucky. There's a nice version of Little Red Riding Hood where she escapes by asking to go outside for a shit :)

but I think Carter's more interested in how big the stories are - castles and monsters and death.

I just used the phrase 'the prevailing theory' Englebert. Not sure what I'm so stupid from :)

I love Wise Children. I love the twins still dancing and showing off their knickers in their 80's. I think she really cebrated life and The Bloody Chamber finds beauty in some really sick bits of life?