sodomy, sexual initiation, and flagellation. The novel that inspired Steven Marcus to coin the term pornotopic, Romance of Lust not only offers the reader a linguistic tour de force, but also delivers a long look at the many possibilities of sensual and sexual love. This novel may well represent the highest moment in Nineteenth-Century sexual imagination. An unabashed portrait of a classic erotic drama, it is still today considered to contain an unparalleled and wholly satisfying reading experience.