Painted Doll

Title: Painted Doll
Author: M. Christian

Ratings

Score: 6/10
Chart Entry Point: 31
How likely I am to read the next in the Series:If there was one, I'd be interested.

Review

I quite liked this story - but it's nothing like what I was expecting.

The basic premise is that Domino is an "Erotist", someone that arouses clients not using their body, but using special "paints" to simulate them sexually and in other ways. You'll see when you read it. It's an interesting idea, I will say - and something I can see why people might want to try. The other main storyline is of why Claire and Flower are apart - which comes to a rather unexpected conclusion for those two - although I'm not really sure what happened to the antagonist (possibility for sequel?).

It is a sci-fi book, so it fits into this blog, but only just. It's set only shortly in the future - or seems to be- and although it has some nifty things called iGlasses, it doesn't really focus on the technology as such - although there is software that can be programmed to control people, which is mentioned a bit. And then there is the paints of course. So while it's not Star Trek, and reads as if it's set in modern times - the technology is quite advanced.

The book is also meant to be Erotica. I didn't realise that until it actually arrived, but it says it on the back of the book. Either way - I'm not really sure it was. There were some fairly explicit scenes, and the book was about sex in a way. But there wasn't any actual sex by a main character. There was a guy who had sex, but he wasn't really paying attention. The main focus of the books was the characters, and the amount of sex lessened as the book continued. However, some of the scenes involving Domino and her painting clients lived up to the genre - despite not actually involving sex. It was quite interesting to read, actually. The scenes involving the the two main women seemed a bit cruder, less elegant than with the clients though. But I'll say it's kind of erotica.

The characters weren't bad. Not incredible either, but not bad. I didn't really feel the love between Claire and Flower in their Letter-Dialogue. It was just about sex really. Maybe that's something to do with the erotica part of the genre, but I wish there had been more tangible emotion. However, the emotion that Claire felt when she was alone  was done a lot better, and I felt myself pitying her somewhat - although at no point was I empathetic, which is why the characters were only good ones.

The main problem I had with it was the formatting. There was quite a few typos, and often at the end of letters in the book, the style was not changed back to the narrative style. That meant that I was confused often, and often disappointed when a letter started, as I was weary of the ending. If these issues weren't there, then I would have enjoyed this book much more. In addition, the page numbers were on the inside, except on chapter openings where they were at the bottom. That was kind of annoying when trying to find a certain page.

So overall the book was enjoyable enough, although it wasn't quite what I was expecting, and it's genre is questionable. The formatting errors were quite major though, and I hope the publisher sorts that out as soon as possible. Although I can see only a thin reason for a sequel, I would be interested in reading it. Formatting Permitting.

More Information

Main Protagonist(s): 1 female
Main Antagonist(s): 1 male
Main Relationships: Homesexual (Female) and Heterosexual Scenes
Genre: Near Future Sci-fi, Erotica
Brief Synopsis:

One of the pleasures of a dystopic future is the erotists, professionals who paint their clients' bared skin with neurochemicals that induce sensuality. Erotists offer landscapes of ecstasy, pain, joy, and delight. 

Few citizens can afford the skills of the talented Domino. Fewer still know her identity is but a mask.
Beneath the facade, Claire hides from a vicious crime lord who would not only kill her but her childhood lover. But the mask of Domino is beginning to crack... 

Painted Doll is futuristic noir tale, a wildly imaginative erotic adventure, exploring who we are and the sexual awakenings that occur when we become someone else. 

-Amazon

ISBN: 978-1590211250
Amazon Link: UK | US
Pages: 196
Published: 2008
Publisher: Lethe Press