Friday, June 15, 2012

Review: "Being Sold" by Penny Boat


 
Story Codes: M/f F/f exhibition incest Young toys BDSM slavery bondage reluctant humiliation Serious Synopsis: The story of how a girl is sold from her first master to her new one.

 Recently I read "Being Sold" by Penny Boat at the BDSM Library.  And it rocked.

Short and Powerful.

"Being Sold" isn't a short story. It's a vignette, and frankly, I want more.  Told from first person and with a style and creativity that made it fresh and sweet, "Being Sold" was definitely the sort of tale that is designed to stimulate, rather than appease.  It's foreplay, and despite the intensity of the actions in the story and the speed in which the plot unfolds, you will find yourself aroused and wanting by the end.

"Being Sold" is a first person narrative of a young girl who is on her way to "being sold."  She chronicles the last loving touch of her master, a man with dark tastes and knows quite well how to use her.  It's a tease, meant to stiffen one's resolve and wet the dark places of desire.

Grammatically the story is excellent. I didn't see any major errors and I felt the prose and vocabulary were in line with the character.  What I really admired in this piece however was what I term "anti-description".  Let me explain.  Every once in awhile I get to read an author who understands how it is possible to fully describe a character through action and intent, rather than providing actual description.  It's like circumstantial evidence painting the picture. The narrator, the girl being sold, is that center mass, a girl without description, yet after reading the story, I sensed I KNEW her.  That is magic.
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Even more impressive is that this was done from first person perspective.  Authors who write in first person necessarily limit the view of their "lens" to what the narrator of the story senses. They can not step outside that limitation.  So to paint such vivid pictures... it's an indication of high quality.
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So where does this story fail?  In length.  Perhaps the author meant to tease us.  Perhaps she knew that I'd be rock hard after reading this tiny little tale and that I'd go find my lovely wife after this and pretend I was going to sell her.  Perhaps she is like Orson Scott Card, who penned a short story entitled "Ender's Game", which later he was to expand into his one decent, award winning book. (God, I hope not!)  In any event, I war between wanting to chastise the author for making her tale so short, and to praise her for the decision.  Making it short deliberately as a tease is brilliant.
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In any event, I will be keeping a watch on Ms. Penny Boat.  I think it's a ride that will be well worth it.


Read "Being Sold" by Penny Boat!

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