The Mammoth Book of Lesbian Erotica (Mammoth Books)
For readers devoted (or addicted) to erotic fiction, here is a welcome British twist on the genre. Though an uneven collection,The Mammoth Book of Lesbian Eroticais nevertheless large enough to contain some real gems from writers around the world. The strongest work comes from the British contributors, such as Emma Donoghue and Stella Duffy, among others. "Sweet Violet," by Ruby Vise, is a classic tale of first love. In Mary Gerideau's "Marvin the Mouse," on the other hand, a stifling mouse suit is the scene of a literally steamy encounter. Be warned, though: several of the pieces are protoerotic rather than the graphic fare readers have become accustomed to. Nina Rapi's "Josie's Restrooms" purports to be the transcript of a toilet attendant's video diary, with a lot of bragging and a bawdy business plan but no real sex scene. And the two-part story that brackets the collection, Daphne Adams's "I Married Madam," reads like the opening pages of an Edwardian novel: promising characters, interesting settings, lively dialogue, but precious little action. Happily, however, there's also a lot of humor in the collection, and even some slapstick, as when the heroine of Karlyn Lotney's "Clash of the Titans" accidentally grabs a bottle of sex-toy cleaner instead of lube and watches in horror as bubbles pour out of her demanding new lover. New meaning for a romantic "bit of the bubbly."--Regina Marler