Featured reader book reviews for Dungeon Mother
Verified A must-read for anyone into the lifestyle I didn’t expect a book about BDSM to run me through the gamut of emotions and leave me crying happy tears at the end, but here we are. Lady Hillary’s “Dungeon Mother: a BDSM Love Story” lives up to the hype, although not in the overdramatized and unrealistic manner of other books in the genre such as “Fifty Shades of Grey.” For starters, “Dungeon Mother” is not a work of fiction, it’s the autobiography of one of the scene’s most legendary figures. Starting off learning the ropes as a professional submissive, the culmination of Lady Hillary’s more than 40-year-long career was as the owner and Headmistress of The Dominion in Los Angeles — one of the most famous and respected BDSM dungeons in the world. This book is her story, and what a tale she tells.Starting off with her childhood, Lady Hillary exposes the shocking abuses she endured from her sick and twisted father. With courageous candor, she explores how this difficult upbringing affected her psychologically, explaining in part how these experiences led to the development of her submissive nature (ironically, her most dominant trait). While years of therapy didn’t do much to “fix” her, it was discovering and embracing her kinky desires that ended up saving her.Stories of this sort tend to be dry and depressing, often leaving you bored with how hard their authors attempt to impress you with their victimhood. But this is not that. Lady Hillary writes as if she’s speaking directly to you. With a conversational tone that manages to find humor in even the most dire of circumstances, she manages to convey the truth and intensity of all that she’s been through without resorting to self-indulgence. The author does not dwell on what was done to her, instead, she uses it as a springboard to show us how she dealt with and transformed it. Rather than presenting unconventional sexuality as a perversion, Lady Hillary manages to reveal how the BDSM lifestyle — sadism, masochism, Dominance, submission, fetishes, and the like — are empowering to those who are drawn to and partake of them. On the contrary, rather than coming off as someone who is powerless and weak, she shows how her submission comes from a place of great strength, loyalty, and independence.Of course, those looking for titillation won’t be disappointed. Between the covers of “Dungeon Mother” are detailed descriptions of what goes on during BDSM play … from her early days bound and blindfolded as submissive Bunny to the transformation into her role as Lady Hillary, a Domina who to this day still has willing petitioners begging to be her personal slave. The book will also hold interest for anyone who has ever sessioned, worked at, or even just heard of The Dominion. Newbies to the lifestyle will be well served by learning the history found within these pages of how the current day scene came to be. Lady Hillary pays loving tribute to her mentor, the Dominion’s founder, Lady Laura, and also gives a tell-all account of the trials and tribulations of managing a female owned and operated adult establishment at a time when such businesses were only run by men. Here you will find backstabbing and betrayal, and a harrowing account of the difficulties endured by sex workers, namely women, in an industry and society that seems set up to work against them. There’s real drama here in learning how Lady Hillary overcame all of this, along with all of the amazing women who worked there, and against all odds made The Dominion a success. There is sadness in learning about how changes in the scene along with the COVID-19 pandemic led to The Dominion’s closure. There’s also true love here too, found behind the closed doors of the dungeon’s playrooms, and leading to a romance for the ages that’s as genuinely sweet as it is kinky. BDSM is not my thing, but I found “Dungeon Mother” to be a page-turner all the same. It’s as educational and cautionary as any guidebook, as captivating as a good thriller, and ultimately both touching and fascinating as only the best of memoirs can be.Verified A wonderful book Dungeon Mother is a wonderful book.Lady Hillary, through sharing the ups and downs of her personal BDSM story, has helped me with some questions that I've had for many years.I wish that she was my Boss.Thank You Lady HillaryVerified Brave, startling, filled with heart Lady Hillary won’t need one of her famous whips to get readers through this new book on her remarkable life and career. Well-spiced with an array of colorful, unforgettable anecdotes, pages will be kept turning eagerly until the story reaches its bittersweet end.One of the strengths of Dungeon Mother is she speaks to us in a plain, unaffected way with a straight-from-the shoulder honesty that brings even the most startling moments to life. There are episodes here of almost unbearable heartbreak: how could any child’s spirit recover from such abuse? Remarkable introspection. Funny, laugh with your friends moments. Some pure, make your hair stand up on end astonishment. And who would have guessed so much heart goes into a really good BDSM session?Lady Hillary has invited us to take a walk with her down a path not often travelled and frequently misunderstood. Perhaps in the beginning it seemed a dark, forbidding place. But then she showed us how, if you make the trip with courage – if you refuse to deny honest needs - if you greet those who share this path with honor and compassion – then it can become a very bright place, indeed.There’s something books, real books, were always meant to do: to reveal to us something about life. Dungeon Mother does this very well.Verified Great insight into the personal experiences of the Legendary Lady Hillary I enjoyed reading about so much history of the local Los Angeles bdsm professional scene as well as reading about Lady Hillary's personal experiences.Load more
Dungeon Mother by Lady Hillary
Available in: Hardcover | Paperback | Kindle
