Review: Brilliant writing, unlikeable characters
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 7, 2013
5 stars for excellent literary writing and proficiency in craft3 stars for plot and character developmentAveraged to 4 starsThis story negotiates its way, miserable and selfish, like its characters themselves. Beyond a couple brief diary entries by Mr. Dumont, the perspective is through a single viewpoint: the clueless, doormat, stripper Candy. She's the embodiment of a low-esteem, self-induced victim. While she recognizes this, and makes promises to herself to improve, she doesn't. Doesn't get a job while on her own. Doesn't stand up for herself. Doesn't take control of her life. Things happen "to" her. She is not inspirational. She does not perform brave, selfless deeds. She's not a heroine.Mr. Dumont is worse. While he is muscle-bound perfection to the eyes, I find him repulsive, naive, self-indulgent, and positively unaware. That said, drawing an opinion of him is done with great difficulty, because you never really get to know him. He is kept several glass walls away from the reader and the narrator. From beginning to end, I couldn't relate to her affection for him. When Mr. Dumont and Candy finally spend two days together, it is summarized. The gravity that could have been felt with in-scene connections between them is skipped over. It was an opportunity to let the reader in, develop the romance, but I was left emotionally starved.This is one of those books that clenches your stomach, digging and twisting, through the last half. The clamp eventually releases in the end, but there are so many questions unanswered, so many things brushed aside without explanation. Even with the HEA closure, the bitterness lingers, the morale of the story harrowing: Let a man treat you like a second-class citizen, wallow when he tosses you away, and welcome him with spread legs when he wants you back.Unlikeable characters aside, this is mouth-wateringly erotic. Lots of sensual, angsty sex scenes, written with beautiful skill. The entire story is sketched with engaging, evocative language. AT knows her craft. In fact, she spanked it. I recommend for the writing alone.