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A review by banned_book
The Satyricon by Petronius
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Continuing on with books that I was banned from reading as a child - this one makes sense as it was very gay and very slutty.
It took me a minute to get used to the pacing and to understand that these pages are kintsugi of a much longer text, fragmented and lost. That being said, once trying to decipher larger themes went out the window I enjoyed The Satyricon immensely. You have to approach the prose with a sort of dream logic forgiveness to get the most out of the looney tunes humor.
What ends up coming across is a torrential whirlwind that enthralls a group of Nero-age plebeians in its depraved clutches. Content warning: Deflowering virgins at a very young age appeared to be commonplace. The entire cast of characters regarded rape, sexual torture, and general powerplay with a casual air. It seemed typical for those not protected by nobility status or riches to fall under the heel of manipulative erotic dynamics.
Perhaps additional satire was further embedded in the widespread nymphomania in ways I did not manage to pick up. I don't have any expertise in this area of history or literature.
Overall Petronius conveyed deep disdain for regression in education, undeserved financial success, ostentation, and general deceitfulness… all through copious sex scenes. To be clear, this is not smut. Intercourse merely happens in the background as a constant. Almost like a prop. It's no wonder that Christians (and by extension, my father) found this work abhorrent.
It took me a minute to get used to the pacing and to understand that these pages are kintsugi of a much longer text, fragmented and lost. That being said, once trying to decipher larger themes went out the window I enjoyed The Satyricon immensely. You have to approach the prose with a sort of dream logic forgiveness to get the most out of the looney tunes humor.
What ends up coming across is a torrential whirlwind that enthralls a group of Nero-age plebeians in its depraved clutches. Content warning: Deflowering virgins at a very young age appeared to be commonplace. The entire cast of characters regarded rape, sexual torture, and general powerplay with a casual air. It seemed typical for those not protected by nobility status or riches to fall under the heel of manipulative erotic dynamics.
Perhaps additional satire was further embedded in the widespread nymphomania in ways I did not manage to pick up. I don't have any expertise in this area of history or literature.
Overall Petronius conveyed deep disdain for regression in education, undeserved financial success, ostentation, and general deceitfulness… all through copious sex scenes. To be clear, this is not smut. Intercourse merely happens in the background as a constant. Almost like a prop. It's no wonder that Christians (and by extension, my father) found this work abhorrent.