CHROMA

Review: An Amorous Woman by Donna George Storey

Donna George Storey
An Amorous Woman

Published by Orion

Reviewed by Kay Sexton

In An Amorous Woman, Donna George Storey has written a book in which escapism (to Japan in this case) and hot and gritty realism (in the sexual sense) run hand in hand through the pages. Her descriptions of Japan make it seem a fairytale setting, but what happens to Lydia in those settings in anything but fairytale - it's sexual encounters that intrigue, arouse and frighten this young Westerner in almost equal proportions and as we pursue her geographical and erotic journey with her, we're introduced to Japan and the Japanese obsessions, desires and perversions in such a smooth fashion that there's no doubt Storey really knows her stuff.

The book is packed with erotic content, but there is also an emotional component, Lydia is not just a good time girl, she's looking for a future and that stops this book being just another bonk-fest. We care what happens and invest in Lydia's journey, even as we enjoy her experiences and egg her on to fulfill each and every passion of an 'amorous woman'. The bisexual content here is not the major component of the story, but it’s an important component, skillfully handled, which helps the reader see where Lydia’s journey begins, even if we aren’t sure where it will end.

Kay Sexton is a fiction writer, editor and freelance journalist: she blogs about writing fiction here and has a regular column here.

Labels: Review

posted by Eric Anderson @ 3:18 PM