I found this at times hard to follow and absorb. It may very well be because I was reading an English translation which would be a shame because some of the descriptions were a tad confusing. Other then that it was good reading. Although for a sadomasochistic novel I didn't find this had a sexual element at all. Not in the slightest. Forthright, yes (which I'm sure contributed to it's controversial fame when first published - 1950's) but not sexual. I found it to be almost innocent and more psychological then anything else but maybe that's just how I see things!
A classic though? I would say so.
9/10