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challenging
dark
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Sexual harassment
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
A fine collection of stories exploring people and their various desires :D Love that it is consciously not heterocentric; and really it’s the stories that are from/by/for “sexual deviants” that really resonated with me, also the better written ones.
Roxane Gay, Garth Greenwell, Kim Fu, Carmen Maria Machado (dazzling period story!) and Zeyn Joukhadar astound as always. I also enjoyed Trust by Larissa Pham and Impact Play by Peter Mountford. The rest, not to say “bad writing,” did not land very well with me and fell flat (or otherwise to the non sequitur lit fic side).
Roxane Gay, Garth Greenwell, Kim Fu, Carmen Maria Machado (dazzling period story!) and Zeyn Joukhadar astound as always. I also enjoyed Trust by Larissa Pham and Impact Play by Peter Mountford. The rest, not to say “bad writing,” did not land very well with me and fell flat (or otherwise to the non sequitur lit fic side).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Sexual harassment
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Kink is an anthology and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I over its take on desire, sex, queer and trans love, and shameless sex. There were stories I wished were longer and stories I could’ve done without. I would preface this book with a couple trigger warnings: r*pe, s*xual assault, and transphobia. The stories get a little rocky at times and I don’t remember a single story ending on a happy note, which isn’t a bad thing for me, I tend to lean toward depressing reads. The compilation of writers for this novel was amazing and the styles of writing differed in the most interesting ways. Each story felt like it’s own but there felt like a common thread that grounded them all. I would reread a few of these stories in the future for sure! I’m interested in coming back to it later to examine how it ages and how I’ve changed with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Death of parent
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria
dark
slow-paced
I was looking forward to being taken into worlds I had never seen and into the minds of people I had never gotten to be inside before. I wanted an exploration of the taboo and an unveiling of the reasons behind why something is taboo and why people seek it out. I was sorely disappointed. While many of these are beautifully written, they don't explore anything really interesting or new. Where is the puppy play? The people who are in a sexual relationship with their sofa? The people who keep their spouse on a leash in the grocery store? Where are the live sex shows? The daddy doms? They were all nowhere to be found. In their place was an endless stream of boring BDSM being acted out by lifeless characters and hollow plots.
“The Cure” not really kinky at all. Felt heavy-handed in its message. 1 star.
“Best Friendster Date Ever” was meh. The sexual aspects were semi-kinky and therefore only semi-interesting. The characters were not interesting. 1.5 stars.
“Trust” was a realistic depiction of vulnerability in relationships. of wanting to be seen but afraid of showing anything. of watching yourself being watched. 2 stars.
“Safeword” I loved the awkwardness of this. The husbands worry. The love and sacrifice that’s so intertwined with marriage. How that connects to pleasing your partner in the bedroom. Overall, the ending was semi-unsatisfactory but I still enjoyed the story. Four stars.
“Canada” Beautiful and intriguing but also too short and vague to truly enjoy. 3 stars.
“Oh, Youth” my heart. Potent human emotion. Exemplifies the love and power that sex can lead to. So good. 5 stars.
“Impact Play” A bit strange. Definitely taboo. Interesting characters. 4 stars.
“Mirror, Mirror” Beautiful and visceral. 3.5 stars.
“Reach” This lacked substance though the writing was intense. It lacked the emotional tension that I think it was intended to have. It felt just average to me. 2.5 stars.
“Gospodar” Tw: Rape. Raw and terrifying and interesting. This is scary. 4 stars.
“Scissors” Strange but good. 3 stars.
“The Lost Performance of the High Priestess of the Temple of Horror” disappointing despite how beautifully written this is. It missed its mark with Maxa. Her characterization felt hollow compared to the intended poignancy of the story. Not kinky. 4 stars.
“The Voyeurs” 2.5 stars.
“Retouch/Switch” 1.5 stars.
“Emotional Technologies” Pretentious and uninteresting. 0 stars.
“The Cure” not really kinky at all. Felt heavy-handed in its message. 1 star.
“Best Friendster Date Ever” was meh. The sexual aspects were semi-kinky and therefore only semi-interesting. The characters were not interesting. 1.5 stars.
“Trust” was a realistic depiction of vulnerability in relationships. of wanting to be seen but afraid of showing anything. of watching yourself being watched. 2 stars.
“Safeword” I loved the awkwardness of this. The husbands worry. The love and sacrifice that’s so intertwined with marriage. How that connects to pleasing your partner in the bedroom. Overall, the ending was semi-unsatisfactory but I still enjoyed the story. Four stars.
“Canada” Beautiful and intriguing but also too short and vague to truly enjoy. 3 stars.
“Oh, Youth” my heart. Potent human emotion. Exemplifies the love and power that sex can lead to. So good. 5 stars.
“Impact Play” A bit strange. Definitely taboo. Interesting characters. 4 stars.
“Mirror, Mirror” Beautiful and visceral. 3.5 stars.
“Reach” This lacked substance though the writing was intense. It lacked the emotional tension that I think it was intended to have. It felt just average to me. 2.5 stars.
“Gospodar” Tw: Rape. Raw and terrifying and interesting. This is scary. 4 stars.
“Scissors” Strange but good. 3 stars.
“The Lost Performance of the High Priestess of the Temple of Horror” disappointing despite how beautifully written this is. It missed its mark with Maxa. Her characterization felt hollow compared to the intended poignancy of the story. Not kinky. 4 stars.
“The Voyeurs” 2.5 stars.
“Retouch/Switch” 1.5 stars.
“Emotional Technologies” Pretentious and uninteresting. 0 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment