Book Review (Part I) -- Carrie's Story (crossposted from southcentralwibdsmfriends discussion boards)

I've recently been enjoying Carrie's Story: An Erotic S/M Novel (there are unerotic ones?) by Molly Weatherfield. While I've never seen myself as a book reviewer, I'm enjoying it enough that I'd like to a) recommend it and b) throw out some random thoughts that the book has sparked in the hopes of stimulating discussion.

I'm a little over a third of the way through the book at this point. The story, told in the first person by "Carrie," begins when she is several months into her consensual slavery to a man she calls Jonathan. Carrie is a recent college grad/budding literary theorist/ bike messenger. Jonathan owns his own architecture firm and is in most ways the stereotypical tall, dark, handsome, and rich Dom who lives in a mansion with servants and a quasi-Victorian library where much of the fun occurs.

In spite of the cliches, I found the first two chapters, which focus on Carrie's introduction to Jonathan and the development of their relationship, engrossing. Basically, Carrie is a young woman who has masturbated to S/M porn since adolescence; Jonathan recognizes the "signs" at a party and begins her training.

One of the things I've found amusing is Carrie's attempts to intellectualize her experiences with Jonathan. She and her (mostly) gay male roommate lie around on the nights she isn't with Jonathan trying to apply literary theory to the story that is unfolding in her life. It's cute, though you never get the sense that theory is going to take them that far in understanding.
At the very beginning of the book Jonathan informs Carrie that he wishes to sell her at auction. The author has come up with an interesting (and politically correct) way to deal with this -- the men in Jonathan's circle buy and sell slaves for periods of service -- but most of the money goes into an account in the slave's name that she can access once the period of service is over. Slavery as long-term prostitution in a way.

One theme that the book has reminded me of already is the "Pygmalian" desire of Dominants to show off their handiwork (i.e., their slave and her behavior). The fictional Carrie shrewdly (I believe) recognizes that this is the real motivation behind most sharing/trading/ displaying of subs/slaves. I know that, as a Master, the prospect of "showing off" my kitten to other Doms is very appealing. Another one of those fantasies that I'm not sure I would want to ever act on, however. Ah the beautiful complications that come from being in love with your slave!
Well, I've meandered about on this topic long enough for one day. I'll post Part II of this review once I've finished the novel. In the meantime, has anyone else read this book? Or another novel that they would like to recommend or discuss? And do any of the Doms or subs reading this have any thoughts on any of the topics above?

Master Dagda