|
Return To the Celestial Review (This does NOT open a new window) Return To the Index (This does NOT open a new window) Note, to make reading multi-part stories easier, story links (links with dejanews.com or www.qz.to, NOT the review or profile links) will open up a new browser window. When you are done reading the story, or section of the story simply CLOSE the story window. |
|
* "The Better To..." by M.M. Twassel (fairy tale sex) 10, 10, 10
* "The Better To..." by M.M. Twassel (mmtwassel@aol.com). This is a bizarre story; but possibly not as bizarre as this review. First, let me point out that the author says that this story was inspired by Sarah Fox Jahn's "Little Red Riding Hood," which was itself inspired by the fairy tale of that same name published by the French poet and critic Charles Perrault in 1697. As you probably assume, I do extensive research for each of these reviews. Let me tell you what I have learned from my on-line encyclopedia about fairy tales. The ordinary fairy tale works with polarities - good and bad, beautiful and ugly - and tells of the wondrous adventures of a heroes or heroines who, after a series of struggles with supernatural forces, attain their wish and live happily ever after. The protagonists are almost always royal or of royal descent. That's the ORDINARY fairy tale. My encyclopedia goes on to tell me, however, that such stories as Little Red Riding Hood and Jack the Giant Killer differ in two important respects. First, their protagonists are often ordinary people. Second, in addition to entertaining, most of these stories teach some fairly hard lessons about the ways of the world. My encyclopedia says this about Perrault's work (which includes "Red"): "What makes {his stories} a children's book is really only his effort to keep the tales short. Otherwise, their wit and sophistication imply--for later readers, at least--adult listeners...." The present author's modern rendition, I suppose, emphasizes that adult element. On another note, I have seen authors use many terms to describe the lower regions of the female anatomy - honey pot, love muffin, cumbucket, bearded clam, beaver, furry hoop, unplowed garden, hairy taco, love tunnel, pleasure pouch, shaven haven, rumpleteaser, and whicker biscuit, to name just a few; but I cannot remember ever before reading about pudendal fleece caressing anyone's cheek. Half the time I couldn't figure out what was happening as I read this story; but when I did figure it out, I had an "Oh, yeah!" reaction that was delightful. Like most normal readers who are at least vaguely aware of the fairy tale, I often tried to get ahead of the author by guessing what would happen next; and then I would tell myself that the author had blown it and had gotten away from the parallel to the original story, only to find a sudden return to the original plot with another interesting twist. I love it when authors do this to me. I'm not going to tell you much about the story. Find it and read it yourself. I am also going to repost my review of Sarah Jahn's story. Maybe she'll repost her story for us. Ratings for "The Better To..." Athena (technical quality): 10 Venus (plot & character): 10 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 10 |