Coming Together Presents Remittance Girl

Edited by Lisabet Sarai

Book Review by Kathleen Bradean

Presents is Coming Together's elite line of single-author titles edited by Lisabet Sarai. ALL proceeds from their sales will benefit the charities selected by their authors. In this volume, Coming Together is delighted to present Remittance Girl, whose chosen charity is the ACLU.

A remittance man, back in Victorian times, was the black sheep of an upper class family who was paid to stay away, often in a foreign land where tales of his adventures wouldn’t further tarnish the family. Remittance Girl lives in Vietnam, but her exile is probably self-imposed. 

RG, as many of us in the erotica community know her, possesses a unique vision. Her stories are often horror, fantasy, or darker eroticism. She’s not afraid to show characters in a state of deep emotional discomfort. Nothing is safe. But it’s that edge that gives her writing such impact. Truly one of my favorite writers, she can transport me to other worlds.

In "Motorcycle Hug", we see modern Saigon through the eyes of a resident alien. She travels to the university where she teaches on the back of a motorcycle. Her regular driver disappears and the new one upsets her fragile comfort. He’s from the lowest rung of society and in awe of her. Once she feels the power of being the exotic one, she’s more comfortable in her own skin.

Tina may always seem in command, but in "Penny Red," it is the other girl who leads her to discovery. A bittersweet tale of remembrance for what once was. 

The characters in "The Spy Who Loved His Wife" are so terribly polite about it all, so civilized, that at first it seems like a farce. The spy in question is asked if he minds being cuckolded.  Rather than being upset, he’s sort of turned on. His wife is more enthusiastic about the idea, which turns him on even more. The affection between them keeps a very dirty story from feeling cheap.

"Butoh-Ka" is one of those RG stories that, once read, is never forgotten. She captures the essence of Butoh-Ka dance in the way she tells the story. Weird, moving slowing, disturbing on several levels, and yet, compelling.

What makes you notice people? In "Pattern Passion," the narrator has a very different view of the world. Perhaps she has high functioning autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. She discovers a ‘three’ on her daily commute and sets out to get his attention. The lovely thing is that once she tells him what he is, he gets what she means.

Kathleen Bradean
April 2010

Coming Together Presents Remittance Girl
(Coming Together, February 2010; ISBN-10: 1450511902)
Available at: Amazon (print) | All Romance eBooks

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© 2010 Kathleen Bradean. All rights reserved.

About the Author: Who is Kathleen Bradean? Read her bio on the Erotica Readers & Writers Association website.

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