ID Sex Scenes Part II (Detailed Spoilers)
This is kinda a continuation of this entry.
The question was posted on bookloversgroup.
What did you think of the quantity of sex in the book? Did the scenes take away from the plot or add to it?
I agree that there was a lot of sex in the book, but I think each and every scene had meaning.
1. Anita/Damien/Nathaniel - what started as feeding the ardeur led to Anita giving both Damien and Nathaniel the 4th mark; I think Nathaniel trying to get Anita to take Damien, when he (Nate) was feeling deprived, says a great deal about his character
2. Anita/Damien/Nathaniel (with Richard looking on) - Anita bound Damien back to herself; Nathaniel finally got a physical release; Richard finally realized that Anita hadn't been with either man before
2.5. Anita/Richard - the almost sex scene when Moroven was riding Anita/Damien/Nathaniel - Richard and Anita realized that they still love each other; and Anita realized Richard still hated himself more than he loved anyone else
3. Anita/Micah - when Anita marks Micah's neck; this scene set up for Nathaniel's jealousy; also, Jean-Claude in Anita's head convincing her that she loved Micah
4. Anita/Nathaniel - in the office; this scene showed how committed Nathaniel was to being submissive to Anita - he had the opportunity to have intercourse with her, but he held back because she wasn't fully aware, she couldn't tell him to come; this scene also showed the changes in Anita's beast, and gave us a peek into the mind of one of the leopards; I thought the bit about leopards seeing other leopards as offspring, mates, or enemies was fascinating
5. Anita/Byron/Requiem (with Nathaniel looking on) - this scene was important because Anita was finally pushed beyond her comfort zone; this was one of the events that helped to convince her to let Jean-Claude feed the ardeur for real; it was also important for the comments at the end - Nathaniel was more than someone to help her in a metaphysical emergency
6. Graham - Anita pushing the flashback onto Graham - the fact that Anita didn't find pleasure in Graham's predicament, the way Belle would have
7. Anita/Requiem - in the car; just the fact that Requiem didn't take advantage of Anita, and he didn't share her with Graham showed us a great deal about his character; plus the idea that Anita could drain Damien if she didn't keep up her strength
8. Anita/Jean-Claude/Nathaniel - on stage; no intercourse, but I consider this a sex scene; insight into Nathaniel's character; the fact that Anita was jealous of the other women; marking Nathaniel; the way the scene felt to the three of them as opposed to how it looked to Jessica
9. Anita/Jean-Claude - in JC's office at GP - Anita is giving Jean-Claude blood; she is letting him use his strength and his bite on her; she is letting him start to use more of his gifts on her, a sign of the growing trust between them
10. Anita/Nathaniel (with Jason looking on) - real intercourse between them, at last; basically shows Anita finally accepting Nathaniel as a lover; we also got insight into Jason
11. Anita/Nathaniel/Jason - the furry games; shows how deeply Anita trusts the men in her life; Anita has finally found people she can "let go" around
12. Anita/Jean-Claude/Richard - do I even have to explain this one? the Tri is finally consolidating their power; both Richard and Anita have stopped running from Jean-Claude
13. Anita/Micah - feeding the ardeur and then having sex without the metaphysics; this was showing that Anita considers Micah a valuable part of her life, apart from what he does to feed the ardeur, and protect the pard; Anita values Micah for Micah
I think *if* the sex scenes were all the same or *if* they didn't advance the plot, then there would have been an excess. But the plot was tightly coupled to the sex scenes. This is a case where a fade to black wouldn't have left the same story. The love and acceptance and trust and sense of belonging that were themes of the book, were all tied to the sex scenes.
The question was posted on bookloversgroup.
What did you think of the quantity of sex in the book? Did the scenes take away from the plot or add to it?
I agree that there was a lot of sex in the book, but I think each and every scene had meaning.
1. Anita/Damien/Nathaniel - what started as feeding the ardeur led to Anita giving both Damien and Nathaniel the 4th mark; I think Nathaniel trying to get Anita to take Damien, when he (Nate) was feeling deprived, says a great deal about his character
2. Anita/Damien/Nathaniel (with Richard looking on) - Anita bound Damien back to herself; Nathaniel finally got a physical release; Richard finally realized that Anita hadn't been with either man before
2.5. Anita/Richard - the almost sex scene when Moroven was riding Anita/Damien/Nathaniel - Richard and Anita realized that they still love each other; and Anita realized Richard still hated himself more than he loved anyone else
3. Anita/Micah - when Anita marks Micah's neck; this scene set up for Nathaniel's jealousy; also, Jean-Claude in Anita's head convincing her that she loved Micah
4. Anita/Nathaniel - in the office; this scene showed how committed Nathaniel was to being submissive to Anita - he had the opportunity to have intercourse with her, but he held back because she wasn't fully aware, she couldn't tell him to come; this scene also showed the changes in Anita's beast, and gave us a peek into the mind of one of the leopards; I thought the bit about leopards seeing other leopards as offspring, mates, or enemies was fascinating
5. Anita/Byron/Requiem (with Nathaniel looking on) - this scene was important because Anita was finally pushed beyond her comfort zone; this was one of the events that helped to convince her to let Jean-Claude feed the ardeur for real; it was also important for the comments at the end - Nathaniel was more than someone to help her in a metaphysical emergency
6. Graham - Anita pushing the flashback onto Graham - the fact that Anita didn't find pleasure in Graham's predicament, the way Belle would have
7. Anita/Requiem - in the car; just the fact that Requiem didn't take advantage of Anita, and he didn't share her with Graham showed us a great deal about his character; plus the idea that Anita could drain Damien if she didn't keep up her strength
8. Anita/Jean-Claude/Nathaniel - on stage; no intercourse, but I consider this a sex scene; insight into Nathaniel's character; the fact that Anita was jealous of the other women; marking Nathaniel; the way the scene felt to the three of them as opposed to how it looked to Jessica
9. Anita/Jean-Claude - in JC's office at GP - Anita is giving Jean-Claude blood; she is letting him use his strength and his bite on her; she is letting him start to use more of his gifts on her, a sign of the growing trust between them
10. Anita/Nathaniel (with Jason looking on) - real intercourse between them, at last; basically shows Anita finally accepting Nathaniel as a lover; we also got insight into Jason
11. Anita/Nathaniel/Jason - the furry games; shows how deeply Anita trusts the men in her life; Anita has finally found people she can "let go" around
12. Anita/Jean-Claude/Richard - do I even have to explain this one? the Tri is finally consolidating their power; both Richard and Anita have stopped running from Jean-Claude
13. Anita/Micah - feeding the ardeur and then having sex without the metaphysics; this was showing that Anita considers Micah a valuable part of her life, apart from what he does to feed the ardeur, and protect the pard; Anita values Micah for Micah
I think *if* the sex scenes were all the same or *if* they didn't advance the plot, then there would have been an excess. But the plot was tightly coupled to the sex scenes. This is a case where a fade to black wouldn't have left the same story. The love and acceptance and trust and sense of belonging that were themes of the book, were all tied to the sex scenes.