Review by megsbeauty - Compulsion

megsbeauty 's review for:

Compulsion by Julia Sykes

3.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

ARC Review

This is the first time I’ve read a novel by this author. The first thing I noticed was the strong influence of expressionism in her writing. The style felt a bit overbearing at times, and I found it somewhat difficult to reconcile the novel’s language with its modern setting and subject matter. Adding to that, the fact that the MMC is British gave the whole novel a Jane Eyre vibe—with dark (BDSM) romance elements set in contemporary times.

I see myself as something of a dark romance connoisseur, having read them for the better part of the last 20 years. I’ll be honest: there are quite a few similarities to Fifty Shades of Grey, along with some rather intense, potentially triggering themes that I urge every reader to take into account—something the author has listed at the beginning of the book.

The story itself is engaging. There’s a fair amount of spice, but it doesn’t overwhelm the plot or turn it into pure smut. The focus is more on the mental and emotional turmoil of the FMC and MMC than on their steamy scenes. Given how scrutinized BDSM is in the "vanilla" world, it feels like the author really put effort into defining and emphasizing consent, especially in the context of “dub-con” and "CNC".

The book ends on a cliffhanger and, from what I gather, is the first in a duology. I have a feeling book two might bring even more trigger-warning-worthy content—and hopefully, the author will deliver the best redemption arc ever.

Content Warnings