A Classic of 20th Century Erotica! The intensity of the emotion and the stubbornness of the protagonist's futile sexual pursuits make fascinating reading. Whether the book was written as a novel or a confession or an expiation is a matter of conjecture. Lilian was a girl who understood the power she possessed over the narrator, and exploited this to her own end. Yet, she is portrayed as no more evil or sinful than the author himself. Repeatedly, Jacky blames only himself for his obsessive infatuation and the attendant self-inflicted and oft-invited, psychological masochism he suffers. Jacky and Lilian are co-equal protagonists and antagonists. The dedication of the book reads: I dedicate this story of sordid sensuality to my heroine, one of the wickedest women in the world.