Unfortunately, I couldn't get into this book. I have always been fascinated by opera, and as someone who has always shown an interest in BDSM and Deviancy, I thought this book would be able to hold my attention. Though Deviant Opera has an interesting concept, I felt like I was reading a research article. This book didn't grab my attention. This could be an excellent book for anyone who wants to read an academic book or for anyone in college looking for various examples of the BDSM lifestyle in the mainstream media.

Englund's look at sexuality in opera is interesting and challenging while still remaining accessible to readers outside of academia. In particular, the examination of why popular culture has turned to more and more overtly sexual staging of operas and what it means in terms of the content of the original works is more than interesting enough to hold a book club's or independent study group's interest.