Review: MISS CHATTERLEY: HUNGRY AND MISS CHATTERLEY: DIRTY (Parts 1 and 2) Different Take on Erotica or Just Another Copy Cat?
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 06 11, 2013
Excerpted from review on my blog 6/11/13MISS CHATTERLEY Book 1: HUNGRY by LOGAN BELLPocket Star/Simon and Schuster | 80 pages | ISBN 9781476731254 |May 2013Provided by publisher via Edelweiss. No remuneration exchanged and all opinions expressed herein are my own except as noted.MISS CHATTERLEY Book 2: DIRTY by LOGAN BELLPocket Star/Simon and Schuster | 80 pages | ISBN 9781476731285 | May 2013PurchasedIt's impossible to read just one of these serialized "reimaginings" of LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER; they each end so abruptly that regardless of how you feel about the one you just finished you may feel compelled to begin the next immediately.These episodes in this serialization fell like a blend of THE SOCIAL NETWORK, and maybe something a bit sexier than THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. Much like what I recall of the original, it's more personal drama than erotica. There are about two episodes of sex. They aren't adventurous even though they are outside. Then there are some failed sexual encounters.Essentially, it's about giving up one's own dreams. That's what happens to Connie.Connie is a girl who seemingly has no self outside her life with Cliff. From what I remember of the original, the woman was also ignored and immature. But she was also socially caged and Connie is not. Maybe you can't re-imagine a story as dependent on class-ism and the lack of personal and social freedoms afforded a woman in the early 20th century as Lady Chatterley would have been, when those conditions are so different.Seriously. Connie is an immature whiner with poor decision making skills. Yeah, Cliff is clueless, but you know what, he's a guy, a geeky guy, thrust into a big, stressful world. Instead of annoying him and begging for time, Connie needs to help him and GET HER OWN LIFE!Also, I have to mention the very weird narrative voices: this is written in the first person when we are with Connie and the third person for Ivy. It is a strange device and I found it threw me for a loop.I am honestly torn by this series. It certainly wasn't what I expected. It is either very cutting edge or another attempt to jump on the youthful ingenue having sex bandwagon. I don't know if I am astute enough to tell the difference; not that I am not smart but I can fall prey to "pop-culture" as much as anyone; after all, I enjoyed Fifty Shades while many of my friends thought it was crap. The first episode ends with Connie doing something massively stupid. The second one ends on a startling cliffhanger. I am reading the third and fourth parts and will let you know how it goes.