Tuesday 28 February 2012

A Wife's Shemale Slave by Crystal Veeyant

Those of you who read my review of Shemale Vice already know that I've had the very great pleasure of knowing Crystal Veeyant for a while now, and that I love her as much as a friend as I do an author. If you missed that review, you can check it out here.

A Wife's Shemale Slave is a very a very different tale from  Shemale Vice, much darker, and much more emotionally involving. If I had to describe it in one sentence, I'd say it was a story of discovery and betrayal, one where relationships are never to be taken at face value, and where gender and identity are as fluid as they are uncertain.

The story starts with one of those relationship crises that are such staples of transgender fiction. Randy/Beth is a transvestite who has been fortunate enough to enjoy the support of his wife, Pam, until he comes out as a transsexual and puts an end to that support . . . and their relationship. Cast out, alone, and desperate, Beth embraces another of those staples of transgender fiction and resorts to prostitution to support his new life and identity.

That's where Crystal smartly turns the tables, abandons the staples, and claims the story for her own. Beth pursues prostitution as a means to an end, using it to finance her efforts to finish college and establish a legitimate career. She doesn't succumb to the darker side of the lifestyle, doesn't collapse into a life of drugs and booze, and doesn't get ensnared into any sort of sex slavery ring. Instead, she takes control of her life, falls in love with another transsexual, and finds a measure of redemption in her recovery. Up to that point, it's actually a rather sweet (and erotic) tale with a definite promise of romance . . . until Beth gets fired, and prostitution is all that's left.

I won't spoil the rest of the story, but I will say that Crystal deftly takes us to some very dark places, bombarding us (and Beth) with betrayals both physical and emotional. There was a point at which I actually gasped aloud, unable to believe the twist she'd thrown into the tale, but unable to resist reading further. She really pushes the boundaries of consent, exploring our deepest, most hidden notions of sexuality in a way that definitely flirts with fantasy, but which is very realistically portrayed. By the time the final betrayals are revealed, and the story comes full circle, you're likely to find yourself as emotionally and physically spent as Beth.

♂↔♀

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