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A review by alternbruno
The Sluts by Dennis Cooper
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The internet has always been a wild place, and at the era of the forums during the early 2000's a unique discourse grew there which still haunt us. With the ability to rank and review the hired experience of a scort, a prostitute, or a rent boy, the sexually driven fantasies turn into a shared space on the net to classify bodies according to both their aesthetic, capabilities and customer service.
Cooper plays along in this mix with the character of Brad, that emerges and it is built upon the signals of others. A great mastery of the vocabulary (the lingo and the terms are excruciatingly on point), the morbid fascination of those who roam the internet looking to be stimulated either by just visualization or by recreating their experiences feed the idea that pleasure entails pain and spectacle. The voices of the forum are carefully crafted as to be always daunting, questioning or pushing in the turmoil of what is possible to do when you pay for it.
Providing such tiny details to craft episodes of torture unfortunately does not make the story more enticing, it just anxiously attempts to grasp shocking values. The value of this level of detail can now be seen in professional studios where paid actors portray just pieces of ass and meat, giving this novel a run for its money. Nonetheless can wonder how many Brads are just strolling the streets, completely let go of themselves.
Cooper plays along in this mix with the character of Brad, that emerges and it is built upon the signals of others. A great mastery of the vocabulary (the lingo and the terms are excruciatingly on point), the morbid fascination of those who roam the internet looking to be stimulated either by just visualization or by recreating their experiences feed the idea that pleasure entails pain and spectacle. The voices of the forum are carefully crafted as to be always daunting, questioning or pushing in the turmoil of what is possible to do when you pay for it.
Providing such tiny details to craft episodes of torture unfortunately does not make the story more enticing, it just anxiously attempts to grasp shocking values. The value of this level of detail can now be seen in professional studios where paid actors portray just pieces of ass and meat, giving this novel a run for its money. Nonetheless can wonder how many Brads are just strolling the streets, completely let go of themselves.