Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Angles and Curves by George Berger

Please Note: The following review is suitable for adults only.

Angles and Curves by George Berger

QUILTBAG Content: Well, for starters, we have a pair of attractive young schoolgirls making out under a tree. The first surprise is that they’re elves, and the second is that even though Gretchen is bisexual, Heather is entirely straight. Yeah, that’s right, it’s complicated. As for Steve (it takes about 30 pages before either of the girls think to ask his name), he’s an asexual teenager who may be legitimately transgender, or who may just be a socially convenient cross-dresser. Yeah, I told you it was complicated.

Fetish Content: Technically, I guess you could say this has some fetish appeal – especially regarding cute little bisexual elven Princesses - but certainly no fetish content. It really doesn’t go any further than the suggestion of kissing or fondling.

Literary Quality: Surprisingly, this was a very well-written story that kept me intrigued right through to the end. It’s a touch surreal in its overlap of fantasy and reality, blurring the borders between humans and elves, but it actually comes across as rather normal and natural. The characters are a bit odd, but deliberately so, and their relationships are nicely developed. The language and dialogue seemed a bit mature for high school students, but that also means it’s refreshingly free of mind-numbing slang.

Spank Bank Rating: Not at all applicable here.

Overall: The story borders on the preposterous in a few areas, particularly in the portrayal of Steve’s absent father and the role of the Deputy Pam, but that’s really a minor quibble. It’s really a magical sort of story that manages to do a lot with the material. There’s almost a Harry Potter sort of feel to it, but for an older (and queer) audience. There’s some real darkness to it, and an air of sorrow throughout, but I have to give George Berger credit for seeing it through to its logical conclusion. This genuinely surprised me, and I’d love to see if find a wider audience.


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