This is true. You do not actually witness the rape, except for the cries of Sansa. The character of Theon, however, tells you what is happening by his reaction and facial expressions. This "scene" actually did take place in the books; but, it was Jeyne Poole who was being passed off as Arya Stark (thereby giving the Bolton's legitimacy in their taking of Winterfell). Since we have not seen, nor heard, of Jeyne Poole since early in Season 1, they substituted Sansa Stark.
I have to wonder where they will take the Sansa storyline, now. They have significantly veered from the books, so there is no knowing what they will do next. The brief description of the next episode seems to point to Sansa changing Theon's allegiance back to the Stark side, but, we will have to wait and see.
Yes, I was surprised because I knew what was coming and figured it would be graphic and distasteful and instead the director conveyed so much with just sound and Theon's facial reactions.
To me "THAT" is the way to show such things rather than actual porn shots. And to me much more real and emotional.
It harkens back to an old gangster movie with James Cagney. Cagney is to be executed in the Electric Chair and the priest is trying to get him to repent for the sake of the neighborhood boys who worship the Gangster Cagney to show them the error of that life. Cagney tells the Priest no dice and he will spit in the eye of the executioner etc. Yet when they start to march Cagney to the chair you see his shadow struggling with the guards and him begging them not to kill him and then the director cuts to the Priest's Face as he realizes what is happening and the sorrow and horror he shows. That scene is much more emotional because you do not actually see what is going on it is implied by camera angles and sound and emotional reaction of the on screen observer.
I haven’t read that late in the books - what is Sansa doing in the books at that point except pretending to be Alayne Stone?