Sarah Clark?s life is irrevocably changed at the age of fourteen when her English teacher, Mr Carr, seduces her after class. Their affair is illegal, erotic, passionate and dangerous ? a vicious meeting of minds and bodies. But when Mr Carr?s wife discovers the affair he has to choose between them and moves to another city with his family. Sarah is devastated and from that day on her life is defined by a series of meaningless, self-abasing sexual encounters, hoping with each man that she will experience the same delicious feelings she had with Mr Carr. Seven years later Daniel Carr walks back into Sarah?s life and she is drawn once again into the destructive relationship. Is Sarah strong enough to ?tame the beast??
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'It’s a bleak, uneasy book, albeit powerfully written. It is also shockingly compelling’ -- Observer Magazine, March 5 2006
I was very impressed by Taming the Beast Maguire heads into extraordinarily dark psychosexual territory, withholding any easy answers -- Independent, December 2, 2005
Maguire's very readable prose treads a fine line between porn-lite and a more serious exploration of young desire -- Independent
I was very impressed by Taming the Beast Maguire heads into extraordinarily dark psychosexual territory, withholding any easy answers -- Independent, December 2, 2005
Maguire's very readable prose treads a fine line between porn-lite and a more serious exploration of young desire -- Independent
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It was never just sex...
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
52 of 53 people found the following review helpful
By "tinytigerr"
Format:Paperback
The back-of-book blurb for this compares it to Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal, but the only similarity is the basic theme of a relationship between a teacher and student. In every other way, this Australian novel could not be more different.
Sarah Clark is a 14 year-old student seduced by her English teacher, the vile yet oddly appealing Mr Carr. Sado-masochistic sex follows before teacher takes off leaving Sarah to spin out of control for the rest of her teen years. Just when you think this is another abused-child-turned-bad book things take a suprising twist when the adult Sarah initates a relationship with her former teacher. What follows is the darkest, most painful portrayal of an obsessive relationship I have ever read.
Taming the Beast is a little bit Lolita and a little bit The Great Gatsby with huge servings of the Marquis de Sade all mixed into a gripping, heartbreaking story written in a fresh, original voice. If you're squeamish about graphic sex you'll have a hard time, but otherwise I recommend it to anyone interested in literature, love and female sexuality and power.
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By Anna
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
This book is so hard to categorize, insofar as it deals with lots of issues. It starts off as a teen fantasy, when a 14yr old girl is relatively graphically seduced by her teacher in the classroom; it then turns into a slightly contrived beautiful-but-messed-up-and-all-the-more-attractive-for-it novel where the same girl, now a poor student/waitress living in a bedist, literally has sex with anyone who looks her way - including boyfriends of friends and her own best friend.
She's almost your typical beautiful waif, very slightly built, with the mettle of someone who's had your had-knocks education, and is just aching to be rescued by a big handsome stranger.
It's actually a testament to the skill of the author that you don't abjectly despise her, and as her life, and behaviour, spiral even further, you get a sense that this might not be your typical novel.
When our heroine bumps into her former teacher, the book sharply veers away from its predicted "Hollywood" path.
What follows is a shocking, insightful and painful look at what a truly dysfunctional, mutually abusive relationship can be when both people involved fundamentally loathe themselves.
With the loss of a major character, it could have become twee, but that person's disintergration is so beautifully written, it'll make you catch your breath for a second.
If you want hardcore sex, this isn't the book for you, because you'll have to go through many pages of beautifully written novel to get to the "good bits" (having said that, Ms Maguire really doesn't hold back when it comes to it); but if you want something that'll initially give you a slight tingle, then veer off into something that takes the breath from you and makes you cry, you'll enjoy this book very much.
She's almost your typical beautiful waif, very slightly built, with the mettle of someone who's had your had-knocks education, and is just aching to be rescued by a big handsome stranger.
It's actually a testament to the skill of the author that you don't abjectly despise her, and as her life, and behaviour, spiral even further, you get a sense that this might not be your typical novel.
When our heroine bumps into her former teacher, the book sharply veers away from its predicted "Hollywood" path.
What follows is a shocking, insightful and painful look at what a truly dysfunctional, mutually abusive relationship can be when both people involved fundamentally loathe themselves.
With the loss of a major character, it could have become twee, but that person's disintergration is so beautifully written, it'll make you catch your breath for a second.
If you want hardcore sex, this isn't the book for you, because you'll have to go through many pages of beautifully written novel to get to the "good bits" (having said that, Ms Maguire really doesn't hold back when it comes to it); but if you want something that'll initially give you a slight tingle, then veer off into something that takes the breath from you and makes you cry, you'll enjoy this book very much.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By C. Jean-Baptiste
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book really got to me. It tells the story of Sarah, a very intelligent but emotionally neglected 14 year old girl who is seduced by her sadistic teacher. Sarah's grows up along best friend Jamie who has to watch her downward spiral of obvious self destruction.
It is not the graphic sex that really shocks but the dispair of the main characters - Jamie in particular who is the only normaility that Sarah has ever known that holds you hostage to this book. I literally could not put it down. I spent most of the time furious, sad and confused by the characters. It gets under your skin. A beautiful, haunting, well written exercise in breaking your heart. Maguire has true talent.
Read it.
It is not the graphic sex that really shocks but the dispair of the main characters - Jamie in particular who is the only normaility that Sarah has ever known that holds you hostage to this book. I literally could not put it down. I spent most of the time furious, sad and confused by the characters. It gets under your skin. A beautiful, haunting, well written exercise in breaking your heart. Maguire has true talent.
Read it.
29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By "kirrilly2"
Format:Paperback
I found Maguire's debut an intense and often disturbing tale about lust, love, obessession and the desparate measures people will go to, to be loved and get love. This certainly is not a novel for the faint-hearted, nor those who object to graphic sex scenes, of which there are many.
At first I thought it was going to be a tale about how love can conquer all but in the second half of the novel, when our heroine, or should I say anti-heroine meets up with her former teacher, the novel takes a dark turn and towards the end I wondered what kind of message the author was trying to give me.
Can you love too much? Are some people naturally destructive, even to those they claim to love?
If you like uncompromising novels that show the world in all its (often cruel) glory, a tell-it-like-it-is writing style, you're not adverse to graphic sex and you want to be challenged emotionally, then you should definitely read Taming The Beast.
At first I thought it was going to be a tale about how love can conquer all but in the second half of the novel, when our heroine, or should I say anti-heroine meets up with her former teacher, the novel takes a dark turn and towards the end I wondered what kind of message the author was trying to give me.
Can you love too much? Are some people naturally destructive, even to those they claim to love?
If you like uncompromising novels that show the world in all its (often cruel) glory, a tell-it-like-it-is writing style, you're not adverse to graphic sex and you want to be challenged emotionally, then you should definitely read Taming The Beast.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By lindsaybeth
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was absolutely captivated by this book.
It is a raw and honest portrayal of an obsessive, possessive and destructive relationship. I think that Emily Maguire did a beautiful job in writing the story with such realism, showing how two people can behave so violently and damagingly towards each other as an unfortunate byproduct of the extremity of their feelings for each other, even if it is at times shocking and unnerving.
This novel powerfully demonstrated the depths to which a harrowingly intense love can sink. It made me angry, it made me hurt, it made me cry and any writer who can evoke such strong emotions through their words deserves serious credit in my opinion.
It is a raw and honest portrayal of an obsessive, possessive and destructive relationship. I think that Emily Maguire did a beautiful job in writing the story with such realism, showing how two people can behave so violently and damagingly towards each other as an unfortunate byproduct of the extremity of their feelings for each other, even if it is at times shocking and unnerving.
This novel powerfully demonstrated the depths to which a harrowingly intense love can sink. It made me angry, it made me hurt, it made me cry and any writer who can evoke such strong emotions through their words deserves serious credit in my opinion.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
ok
not such a good read as i thought it would be delivered on time and all but a let down on the story line
Published 6 months ago by Rebecca Oram
4.0 out of 5 stars
Where to start...
Well...I'm not really sure how to even begin this review?
I found the book a difficult but gripping read. Read more
I found the book a difficult but gripping read. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Kerk
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good read
Another book I was not able to put down, good believable story gripping the reader well worth a read well done author
Published 10 months ago by Mrs 0
3.0 out of 5 stars
The power of the taming of the beast
Taming the beast is the most disturbing book I have ever read. Part of me wished I had not started it and yet I am left thinking I am more enlightened for having read it. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Lisa_R
4.0 out of 5 stars
Either gratuitously exploitative or searingly honest...you decide!
Emily Maguire has a breathless talent and a fascination with the cloying nausea of intoxication. This is a book which forces you to throw back a full tequila shot then immediately... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ian Kirkpatrick
3.0 out of 5 stars
Readable
Gripping and very readable. It was a book I easily got into and did enjoy but it wouldn't enter my top ten.
Published 14 months ago by MJ
4.0 out of 5 stars
Disturbing
I've just finished this book and felt swept up in the violence and lust of the relationships.
Well written and compelling, I found it hard to put down. Read more
Well written and compelling, I found it hard to put down. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Sparkler
4.0 out of 5 stars
dark and memorable
The lovely Sarah Clark is seduced by her horrible teacher Mr Carr. Didnt necessarily like all that happened to Sarah , there are some very bleak parts to this story , but it is... Read more
Published 18 months ago by cartoon
2.0 out of 5 stars
boring in the extreme
I don't feel this lived up to it's billing at all. The main problem with this book is that the characters are all so implausible and unlikeable so that by the end of the book i... Read more
Published 23 months ago by N. Armstrong
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing
I used to be a bookworm, but haven't finished a book in about two years - since I was fourteen. From the first few pages, that dive straight into how she's seduced by her teacher,... Read more
Published on 8 Oct 2010 by JustBreathe
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