Ehh...
I don't think anyone who isn't either a romance reader, a fanfic enthusiast, or that rarest of creatures, a non-romance reader who lacks an agenda, can really offer a measured reaction. It's just so saturated in genre tropes that reading it and being surprised and outraged at every. single. detail. like that is like reading a spy thriller and being surprised and outraged that the technology described just isn't realistic and like way too James Bond. Hello, it's James Bond-y because it's *the same genre*.
The only things that GoodReads reviewer mentioned that stood out to me are about his $$$ and the language used to describe sex organs.
He's only 27 years old. He's only been in business 6 years. And he's a damn *shipping magnate*. We haven't had shipping magnate heroes since the mid 1970s. That kind of billionaire is ancient and wrinkled. That kind of billionaire is not a 27-yo who didn't inherit his wealth.
And it was unnecessary to describe him as being *that* wealthy when he could've easily had like maybe $200m. Why you gotta say billionaire? His lifestyle is entirely supportable on a couple hundred million. And for god's sake just have him be in tech. It's not at all unbelievable that a 21-yo could build a business that made him several hundred million dollars. I mean Zuckerberg, right? Considering there's no such thing as a major sf/fantasy con that isn't accompanied by it's very own play party it's a natural fit. Nerds are kinky as fuck. This article is a good one:
http://io9.com/5928739/the-secrets-of-geek-mating-rituals
Makes perfect sense why so many people who are into BDSM are nerds.
As far as the language goes, I am at the point where I find it distracting when people don't just say cock or pussy or c*nt. She never uses those. It's always "his erection" or "her sex." Which it could be worse, and since it's first person...well, she probably would choose that language.
So since I was able to ignore everything that's just standard issue for the genre, I was able to focus on other things. I actually thought it was intelligent about the politics of relationships, particularly when the participants are both very young and both totally inexperienced, like these two were. One thing that's always interesting to me is when a character says "This is how I am, this is what I require," and then proceeds to not be that way and not require anything. Unreliable narrators, man.
We always bring to relationships a set of expectations that are a blend of what we really find important and what we think we're supposed to find important. You have to learn the difference, because only the former are hills you want to die on.
I enjoyed the fact that he very easily diagnosed that in her, but failed to notice that there was nothing in his contract he gave an actual fuck about, nor did he give an actual fuck about getting it signed. The waxing part was the hilarious part to me. By the time 2.5 books later she got around to going hmm, Imma go get waxed, he's like "Wait, what? You didn't do that because you thought I wanted you to, right?" I mean SERIOUSLY. I don't get how people actually think he's controlling. What exactly does he manage to control? He makes himself over to please her. Sure, she gets a makeover, but that's mostly about *shopping*. He's the one sitting around waiting for her to tell him what to do and how to be.
I also thought it did probably the best job I've ever seen done with the topic of Emotional Affairs. They may not have had the language to be able to name them EAs, and like most people think the only As are PAs, but all those things with the exes and the Nice Guys (TM) she's friends with...all EAs. And just as frustrating to deal with and to get each other to *see* as it is IRL.
I've read reviewers who thought his feelings about her EAs meant he was controlling, but is it actually all that unreasonable to be all, "You know your best guy friend that I saw trying to take advantage of you when you were drunk that one time and called me to pick you up? Since you are my girlfriend, I don't want you going out with him, particularly not alone. When you attend an event he's going to be attending, I'll come with you." I mean, people of SI, is that unreasonable?
Neither is it controlling of her to be like, "So since you're my boyfriend, I have to tell you I don't care for how all these former women of yours still rely on you emotionally and financially, and I particularly dislike how you keep telling that older lady who molested you when you were a teenager allllll about *our* relationship when you go out to dinner with her which you don't even MENTION TO ME until it's already happened."
Again, NOT unreasonable, not controlling. Good sense. But nobody calls her controlling, because I guess only men can be controlling? If so, he's the Worst. Controller. Ever. because he never actually successfully controls anything. When they change something about themselves for the other, it's through communication and compromise, not control.
I remembered, re-reading the first one, why I put it down. I was very upset about his failure to recognize what was done to him as abuse, and that Mrs. Robinson is a pedo. But that isn't fair to the author, and I recognized that later on. If your story is about your characters re-processing their pasts and reaching a better understanding of themselves, you do actually have to let them display a poor understanding of their pasts and themselves.
To sum up, I thought it was sweet, funny, and wise, and lord_v is reading it now because I was like "I RENOUNCE ALL THAT BAD STUFF I SAID ABOUT 50 SHADES YOU HAVE TO READ IT" and he trusts me.
[This message edited by ladyvorkosigan at 3:59 PM, December 4th (Tuesday)]
