Moll Flanders Steaminess Rating

Exactly how steamy is this story?

R

This is a book about a prostitute; there's no getting around that. The main character's name, Moll, is even slang (from the 1600s, of course) for "prostitute." (For more on that check out "Tools of Characterization: Names.") There's no way, then, that the book wouldn't come with lots of sex, lewd scenes, and details about intimate relations. True, the book's not especially graphic – certainly not by today's standards. That keeps it from hitting the NC-17 level. But there's plenty of intimacy in and out of matrimony, unfortunate examples of accidental incest, and lots of instances of words like "whore" and "cuckold." Intrigued? You can read even more about this in the sections on "Theme: Sex." Just keep it away from the kiddos.