Author: Steven Carroll
Publisher: Harper Collins Australia
Genre: Modern, Historical Fiction, General Fiction, Adventure
Year of Release: 2021
Release Date 3rd February 2021
Rating 
Synopsis
Occupied France, 1943. France’s most shameful hour. In these dark times, Dominique starts an illicit affair with a distinguished publisher, a married man. He introduces her to the Resistance, and she comes to have a taste for the clandestine life – she has never felt more alive. Shortly after the war, to prove something to her lover, she writes an erotic novel about surrender, submission and shame. Never meant to be published, Story of O becomes a national scandal and success, the world’s most famous erotic novel. But what is the story really about – Dominique, her lover, or the country and the wartime past it would rather forget?
From one of our foremost writers, the acclaimed and multi-award-winning Steven Carroll, comes O, a reimagining of what might have been, the story of a novel that took on a life of its own and mirrored its times in a way the author never dreamt of.
Review
Dominique Aury is eager to assist her country which she loves, and other times wants to be rid of, as they’re facing the darkest of hours; because France is currently under occupation the year is 1943. Dominique meets with the famous publisher and currently married man Jean Paulham the pair feel an instant connection and soon after their first meeting begin an illicit affair.
Not long after their first meeting Dominique discloses to Jean that she wishes to do more to fight against the Nazi’s and the many restrictions that have been placed on the country and its residents since they’re arrival; Jean understands and shares her determination the duo come up with a plan. Jean introduces Dominique to the Resistance. Dominique unlike most finds she enjoys the clandestine life. It has left her wondering had she been sleepwalking her whole life up until this point? Because this experience has made her feel alive and changes her forever.
The war has finally come to an end and Dominque sets about penning a love letter to her lover; the letter is erotic in nature and topics in these pages include surrender, submission, and shame. Dominique never wanted her letter to be seen by anyone other than Jean.
The letter does transform from a private letter to a very public book it causes a national scandal for some and a success for others, the question needs to be asked is the book of O really about a woman and her lover or the country and the wartime past it’s so desperate to forget?
With the opening to a synopsis, Occupied France, 1943. France’s most shameful hour what more could a lover of Historical Fiction ask for?
As I started this book, I couldn’t help but feel like something was hindering me from really devouring this book from start to finish, I found myself not really enjoying the relationship between Dominique and Jean, it felt too unnatural to me especially at their first meeting. I much preferred that aspect of the story in the middle and end chapters as I felt as if I knew them more so as individuals rather than a unit.
My enthusiasm for this read finally arrived when Dominque Aury joins the resistance, and I was able to find my rhythm with this book. Author Steven Carroll has done well to create a world around a reimagining of what might have been if Anne Cécile Desclos (1907 – 1998), a French journalist and novelist had written O as a metaphor for the Nazi Occupation in France in the Second World War
Having finished this book, I find myself wondering whether O would have benefited a dual perspective between Jean and Dominique as this might have made this reader feel more connected to him throughout this book. I liked him more so than Dominique, but he does at times feel to this reader like a minor character. Whether this was intentional? I cannot say for certain.
So many books that cover the Second World War don’t spend much time outside of the occupation period; it was refreshing to have the story move beyond occupation whilst also managing to document the darkness in a way that is respectful and not just a stopover in history; in the hopes of reaching peacetime sooner.
O is well written with descriptive scenes without being off putting, the Author has done well to document character growth. Take Dominique for example, I felt as if I met a very different Dominique in the beginning chapters to the Dominique in closing as she was slightly more likeable.
Recommended for mature reader if you enjoy World War 2 stories consider O by Steven Carroll.