Product Description

'Nothing Natural centres with illuminating precision on a sado-masochistic relationship. Rachel is in her thirties, a single parent admired by her friends for her self-sufficiency . But when she meets the compelling, sinister Joshua she discovers another side to herself . In a sense which horrifies her, she has found herself . An outstandingly well-written novel' New Statesman An addictive story of a dangerous love affair with a shocking denoument, this is a complex examination of the relations between the sexes at their most combatative and collusive. It is a clever book with much to tell us about the nature of desire and what should or should not be permissable.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2406833 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From Publishers Weekly
A candid, intelligent and insightful portrayal of the sadomasochistic personality, Diski's sexually explicit first novel may nevertheless offend readers of delicate sensibilities. Diski describes the three-year relationship between Rachel Kee, a 31-year-old London divorcee with a young daughter, and Joshua Abelman, her superficially charming but coldly manipulative, cruelly domineering lover. To her bewilderment and shame, Joshua's brutal lovemaking fulfills a need in Rachel to be submissive and suffer pain. Their encounters are at his erratic convenience, but Rachel finds herself increasingly dependent on Joshua's presence in her life. Eventually, she suffers an acute attack of depression, is hospitalized and recovers slowly. Only then does shealmost subconsciouslyset in motion a plan to revenge herself on Joshua and break his hold on her sexual fantasies. While the sadomasochistic encounters are clearly depicted, the novel should not be considered pornographic. The character development is sensitive and psychologically sound as Diski shows how Rachel's disturbed psyche is the result of emotional damage in childhood. Although the narrative loses some momentum in the chillingly accurate but nonetheless static scenes of Rachel's depressive breakdown, on the whole this is a compelling treatment of a difficult subject. Doubleday Book Club and Literary Guild alternates.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
'She writes with an admirable lack of sensationalism about a difficult subject . an honest and startling look at the angry face of sex' Cosmopolitan 'Absolutely terrifying' Margaret Drabble 'Its efficiency and loathsomeness are about equal' Observer 'That rare beast, a sexual shocker written with integrity' - LONDON MAGAZINE

About the Author
Jenny Diski is the author of eight novels and two memoirs: Skating to Antarctica and Stranger on a Train. She lives in Cambridge.

Customer Reviews

Interesting, but somewhat disappointing
I received this book from a friend and...actually, I'm glad, because this subject is somewhat intriguing and now I have a decent glimpse of it. "Nothing Natural" is about a 30-ish woman, Rachel, who gets involved in a sado-masochistic relationship. Oh yeah, it's also about how Rachel struggles to exist in a world without getting emotionally close to anyone!

In terms of style, Jenny Diski writes very clearly, simply and bluntly. Her sex scenes are so stark, they're quite a turn-on. In terms of the story however, I formed opinions about Rachel's character early on, and the author pretty much validated my opinions halfway through. The character of Pete, a social service case of Rachel's, presented a promising story in which I hoped would be the experience that would help Rachel grow and progress into a whole person, but that was not so. After that, she went into a huge depression, and that section really dragged for me. Diski could have written that in about half as many pages. In the end, she half-heartedly, but successfully, took a step towards doing away with a self-destructive fantasy, facing life in all its convoluted, complicated and messy splendor.

For me I guess the problem would be that I didn't really like Rachel...she annoyed me after a while. That's not to say that she wasn't a complicated person with a whole mess of "issues." However, this was a really interesting look into the reality of a truly sado-masochistic relationship. It made me wonder, or rather, it answered the question of whether or someone would be able to truly separate sex from emotional attachment. Furthermore, would someone be able to separate a sexual fantasy from sexual reality? From the looks of it, it's not easy!

Compelling reading and wonderful character development
I found this to be a powerful book that delved deeply into the life of a woman named Rachel who becomes involved in a sadomasochistic relationship with an emotionally distant man. Initially I felt the title referred to this s&m relationship. However, as the author reveals more of Rachel's life, it appears that there is nothing natural in her emotionally starved world. Her parents fought bitterly when she was a child. She struggles with paralyzing spells of depression and is incapable of emotional closeness. She is delightfully articulate and quick witted - an intelligent woman with a large share of emotional distress. We watch her spiraling deeper into a suicidal state and it takes a strong reader to maintain compassion. Finally her darkest hour passes, and the novel ends with her first steps towards a healthier self concept. Compelling reading and wonderful character development - a great first novel.