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A daring and impressive novel both in content and in form. Intentionally building the narrative across early Internet era boards, site reviews and emails produced by a myriad of individuals - real, impersonated or simply fake - allows the author to address the most shocking and ultraviolent sexual acts in a way that feels less direct, less confrontational. A virtual community of men, mostly escorts and customers, builds up a shared fantasy that progressively worsens in its abjection and depravity, revering agonizing and dehumanizing death as a form of ultimate pleasure, and soon enough myth and reality conflict in a maze of lies and deceit. These are incredibly difficult topics to write about, and I only wish there had been more attention on the internal state of these characters - their own pain, guilt, absolution, denial, contradictions and anguish - and less focus on the 'whodunnit' of it all. Exposure to horror may not be enough in itself.