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Belinda (Anne Rice novel)
Encyclopedia
Belinda is the title of a novel
by Anne Rice
, originally published in 1986 under the pen name Anne Rampling.
Belinda follows in the footsteps of Exit to Eden
in its themes of the darker side of human romance. Whereas the latter novel explored BDSM
, Belinda explores the relationship between a grown man and an underage girl.
d children's book author and artist, Jeremy Walker, and a 16-year-old teenage runaway
who attaches herself to him. Unaware of who Belinda really is, Jeremy falls in love with her and paints her portraits nude. When he discovers Belinda's true identity, things unravel quickly as his career and freedom are threatened, as well as the love he feels for Belinda. The novel narrates the sexual union between Jeremy and Belinda, managing to convey their love for one another through physical action, but without spending pages and pages describing each individual sexual encounter.
The novel deals with an illegal relationship: the age of consent
in California
, where most of the novel's events take place, is 18. When Belinda meets Jeremy Walker, she is 16 years old in body, but very much older in mind. Her name is Belinda Blanchard, her mother is international movie and television star Bonnie. Belinda is estranged from her mother and on the run from her controlling but generally clueless Uncle Daryl, who is convinced that Belinda is out to ruin Bonnie's career. Jeremy Walker doesn't know any of this until he is in love with Belinda, and they have been together for several months. The novel describes numerous relationships with large age gaps, including one between Belinda's world-famous hairdresser father, G.G. and an actor named Ollie Boon. Although Belinda is the only character who is a minor, and is much younger than any of the other characters, the novel raises the question whether genuine love can exist between two people with a large age difference, and whether or not it is morally right.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Anne Rice
Anne Rice
Anne Rice is a best-selling Southern American author of metaphysical gothic fiction, Christian literature and erotica from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history...
, originally published in 1986 under the pen name Anne Rampling.
Belinda follows in the footsteps of Exit to Eden
Exit to Eden
Exit to Eden is a novel by Anne Rice, initially published in 1985 under the pen name Anne Rampling, but subsequently under Rice's name.The novel explores the subject of BDSM in romance novel form. The novel also brought attention to Rice's published works that differed from the type of writing she...
in its themes of the darker side of human romance. Whereas the latter novel explored BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
, Belinda explores the relationship between a grown man and an underage girl.
Overview
The novel explores the relationship between a 44-year-old divorceDivorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d children's book author and artist, Jeremy Walker, and a 16-year-old teenage runaway
Runaway youth
A runaway is a minor or a person under an arbitrary age, depending upon the local jurisdiction, who has left the home of his or her parent or legal guardian without permission, or has been thrown out by his or her parent and is considered by the local authorities to lack the capacity to live under...
who attaches herself to him. Unaware of who Belinda really is, Jeremy falls in love with her and paints her portraits nude. When he discovers Belinda's true identity, things unravel quickly as his career and freedom are threatened, as well as the love he feels for Belinda. The novel narrates the sexual union between Jeremy and Belinda, managing to convey their love for one another through physical action, but without spending pages and pages describing each individual sexual encounter.
The novel deals with an illegal relationship: the age of consent
Age of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where most of the novel's events take place, is 18. When Belinda meets Jeremy Walker, she is 16 years old in body, but very much older in mind. Her name is Belinda Blanchard, her mother is international movie and television star Bonnie. Belinda is estranged from her mother and on the run from her controlling but generally clueless Uncle Daryl, who is convinced that Belinda is out to ruin Bonnie's career. Jeremy Walker doesn't know any of this until he is in love with Belinda, and they have been together for several months. The novel describes numerous relationships with large age gaps, including one between Belinda's world-famous hairdresser father, G.G. and an actor named Ollie Boon. Although Belinda is the only character who is a minor, and is much younger than any of the other characters, the novel raises the question whether genuine love can exist between two people with a large age difference, and whether or not it is morally right.