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eilidhmcq's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.5
insightful, thought-provoking and important. Challenges perceptions of sex work and explores different experiences and opinions.
caffkaesque's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
withlovejoy's review
challenging
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
three women, three stories. connected only by sex work.
∘₊✧─── synopsis ───✧₊∘
lory, also known as lily when meeting up with clients, is a single mother who is literally trying to escape her past. with no other way to earn money, she has to resort to sex work in order to stay afloat in a world filled with raging rents and social systems that barely help the victims.
freya, a student struggling with her mental health and some serious drug problems, sees no other way to earn money than to work as an escort, pleasing old men for money. not really wanting to do something else, she doesn't see any kind of problem with her job, as opposed to many other struggling people she meets along the way. trying to understand all the different views and stories surrounding sex work, she feels herself falling into a net of doubts and internal conflict.
and at last, paula. paula, with her seemingly happy and functioning family on the one side and carmen, a sexbot she has hidden in her study, on the other side. as a journalist who has yet to have her grand breakthrough, paula is especially interested in prostitution and the newest male invention of sexbot-brothels, actively advocating against sex work and for the safety of prostitutes. in doing so, however, she doesn't listen to the voices of the actual sex workers, blatantly ignoring their protests and convictions, drowning them out by helping with several police raids of brothels.
being set in the unknown future of London, these three women find their ways of life intersecting with each other, crossing and intertwining somewhere between brothel raids and the occupation of a church.
∘₊✧─── my opinion ───✧₊∘
this book has been on my radar for quite some time and when i got it for christmas, i was very excited to read it. the topics discussed in this book are pretty heavy, but even more so they are extremely important. sex work, police violence and everything that comes with these things. so please be aware of possible triggers!!
anyway, i like reading about topics like that, i think it's important to hear the voices and stories of as many people as possible in order to form your own opinion on different matters that are happening all around the globe. and in this case, the topic was sex work, written about by someone who was actively affected by all the laws, dangers and prejudices surrounding said job.
unfortunately, this book fell a bit flat for me personally. the writing style was just not my cup of tea and i felt like everything was all over the place. the constant time skips and changes in the lives of the three protagonists that were happening off page were confusing me too much and sadly affected this reading experience.
that being said, this does not have to be the case for you! i still think that i have gained many new insights and even more understanding for the sex work scene in its entirety, and i am glad that i did because sadly, the things that happen in this book - although marked as fictional - are already taking place in various places on earth.
∘₊✧─── rating ───✧₊∘
3 stars!!
∘₊✧─── synopsis ───✧₊∘
lory, also known as lily when meeting up with clients, is a single mother who is literally trying to escape her past. with no other way to earn money, she has to resort to sex work in order to stay afloat in a world filled with raging rents and social systems that barely help the victims.
freya, a student struggling with her mental health and some serious drug problems, sees no other way to earn money than to work as an escort, pleasing old men for money. not really wanting to do something else, she doesn't see any kind of problem with her job, as opposed to many other struggling people she meets along the way. trying to understand all the different views and stories surrounding sex work, she feels herself falling into a net of doubts and internal conflict.
and at last, paula. paula, with her seemingly happy and functioning family on the one side and carmen, a sexbot she has hidden in her study, on the other side. as a journalist who has yet to have her grand breakthrough, paula is especially interested in prostitution and the newest male invention of sexbot-brothels, actively advocating against sex work and for the safety of prostitutes. in doing so, however, she doesn't listen to the voices of the actual sex workers, blatantly ignoring their protests and convictions, drowning them out by helping with several police raids of brothels.
being set in the unknown future of London, these three women find their ways of life intersecting with each other, crossing and intertwining somewhere between brothel raids and the occupation of a church.
∘₊✧─── my opinion ───✧₊∘
this book has been on my radar for quite some time and when i got it for christmas, i was very excited to read it. the topics discussed in this book are pretty heavy, but even more so they are extremely important. sex work, police violence and everything that comes with these things. so please be aware of possible triggers!!
anyway, i like reading about topics like that, i think it's important to hear the voices and stories of as many people as possible in order to form your own opinion on different matters that are happening all around the globe. and in this case, the topic was sex work, written about by someone who was actively affected by all the laws, dangers and prejudices surrounding said job.
unfortunately, this book fell a bit flat for me personally. the writing style was just not my cup of tea and i felt like everything was all over the place. the constant time skips and changes in the lives of the three protagonists that were happening off page were confusing me too much and sadly affected this reading experience.
that being said, this does not have to be the case for you! i still think that i have gained many new insights and even more understanding for the sex work scene in its entirety, and i am glad that i did because sadly, the things that happen in this book - although marked as fictional - are already taking place in various places on earth.
∘₊✧─── rating ───✧₊∘
3 stars!!
clemben's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
rzeckism's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
fabulousdave's review
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
jimmydean's review
Influx Press have quickly become one of my favourite publishers because they always seem to be interested in strong voices, with particular interest in people on the fringes of society. This is a really great read; absorbing narrative, good characters and an all-too-rare thoughtful and authentic approach towards sex workers. A page-turning, thought-provoking read.