Anne Rice was an American author whose works delved into the dark and gothic. She became renowned for her unique writing style, blending the supernatural with psychological depth. Her narratives explored complex moral questions and human nature through fictional characters. Rice's writing left an indelible mark on the horror and supernatural genres.
Beauty, having indulged in a secret and forbidden infatuation with the rebellious slave Prince Tristan, is sent away. Sold at auction, she will soon experience the tantalizing punishments of 'the village, ' as her education in love, cruelty, dominance, submission and tenderness is turned over to the brazenly handsome Captain of the Guard.
In the traditional folktale of "Sleeping Beauty," the spell cast upon the lovely young princess and everyone in her castle can only be broken by the kiss of a Prince. It is an ancient story, one that originally emerged from and still deeply disturbs the mind's unconscious. In the first book of the trilogy, Anne Rice, writing as A.N. Roquelaure, retells the Beauty story and probes the unspoken implications of this lush, suggestive tale by exploring its undeniable connection to sexual desire. Here the Prince awakens Beauty, not with a kiss, but with sexual initiation. His reward for ending the hundred years of enchantment is Beauty's complete and total enslavement to him . . . as Anne Rice explores the world of erotic yearning and fantasy in a classic that becomes, with her skillful pen, a compelling experience. Readers of Fifty Shades of Grey will indulge in Rice’s deft storytelling and imaginative eroticism, a sure-to-be classic for years to come. source: annerice.com
Dans ce dernier volume de la trilogie culte, la Belle, le prince Tristan et leur compagnon Laurent vont subir les tortures délicieuses de l'Orient. Esclaves au palais du sultan, ils devront se plier à ses règles cruelles qui leur interdisent jusqu'à la parole. Réduits à l'état de simples objets sexuels, c'est dans cet anéantissement de la volonté qu'ils découvriront l'ultime volupté de la soumission. Alors que la Belle s'abandonne à la sensualité du harem et que Tristan explore les raffinements de la chambre royale, Laurent joue à un jeu dangereux avec son maître et prend goût à l'inversion des rôles. Et quand la reine Éléonore envoie une mission à leur secours, les trois amis ont bien du mal à s'arracher au pays du Levant. Quelles nouvelles épreuves les attendent à leur retour ? La Belle trouvera-t-elle enfin la libération et l'amour véritable ?