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"Cheenagurl" by Sista Shakespeare (self-reflection).
Plainman: 10, 10, 10
"Cheenagurl" by Sista Shakespeare (sista_shakespeare@my-dejanews.com). Reviewed by Plainman (an10176@anon.nymserver.com) This is one of several recent stories by a new writer on ASS\M who has become an instant favorite of mine. Sista Shakespeare's literary persona is (as best I can tell) a Malaysian woman of Chinese descent. The exotic character of her narrative voice (exotic at least for a North American reader) is effectively highlighted by her interjection of what I think are Malay words and phrases in her stories, especially at moments of special passion. Sometimes she glosses these words and phrases explicitly or by context (our heroine's "puki" seems often to moisten during these stories), but more often not. Thus I'm not perfectly clear on "Turok mo ako! -- Tolong!" (from another of Sista's stories) though I'm pretty sure it doesn't mean "This darned currency crisis! -- phooey!" In "Cheenagurl" our heroine has dressed and is finishing putting on her makeup preparatory to going out with her man on Saturday night. She is suddenly struck by what a sexy number that lady in the mirror is -- that "Chinagrrrl" in her cheongsam with the high mandarin collar, and with the dramatic eye- shadow not quite completed. Hey, it's enough to make a gal's puki wet! So, she checks the hour - yep, there's time for a little private interlude before she has to meet her gent. Unfortunately, she can't summon a female genie (such as visited an American e-girlfriend of our heroine in Sista's "The Genie Visits") out of the mirror, so she has to settle for a rendezvous between her everyday and her Saturday night (Cheenagurl) selves, aided by a little plastic friend she keeps in her drawer (see Sista's "Toys" for an introduction to our heroine's complex relation to her mechanical aids). For all that it's a bit on the narcissistic side, she/they manage a very successful quickie - and a complex one, as at the climax the male lover manages to become part of the scene as well. The story - like the episode it relates - is short and hot. The writing is lush and lovely, and Sista manages to give some real individuality to the heroine, by way of her very plurality. She successfully invokes the submissive sex-kitten stereotype of "the Asian woman," while at the same time suggesting, in the background, a woman of considerable willfulness, fully conscious of her own needs and power. Sista, your heroine is one interesting and sexy lady! Ratings for "Cheenagurl" Technical quality: 10 (despite "it's" for "its") Plot & Character: 10 (she lives!) Appeal to reviewer: 10 (I'm enchanted!) |