REVIEW: Adventures in Fetishland by Slave Nano

Those squeals of gurlish glee that my neighbours have been complaining about for the last week are entirely the fault of Slave Nano. As excited as I was when Sally passed this along to me for review, I could not have anticipated what a thoroughly enjoyable read this would be!

Adventures in Fetishland is a book that works on more levels than any author has a right to expect. It is both a fetish fairy tale and an urban fantasy, full of elements both erotic and mythological. Dreamy and surreal, it does a spectacular job of capturing the spirit of its Wonderland  inspiration, but it also weaves in a strong feminist pagan mythology that underlies its BDSM elements. I spent the first half of the story wondering how it could all be real, and the second half wishing that it were.

Nemesisland is, as the Red Queen states, "a place where she could give expression to her wildest imaginings and where slaves could lose themselves in submission and explore their innermost darkest desires." It is a dark, fairy tale realm where both landscapes and slaves have been altered to serve a role within the story. Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the White Rabbit, the Black Cat, the Mad (Fetish) Hatter, the Purple Caterpillar, the Walrus, the Carpenter, and (of course) Alice all have their roles to play. It is really quite remarkable how well Lewis Carroll's fantasy realm lends itself to a bondage-themed reinterpretation, but that is a testament to Slave Nano's inspired creativity.

This is more than just an exercise in imagination, however - it is also the breathtaking tale of young woman's dance with a destiny. Rescued from the day-to-day servitude of life in a brothel, Kim is taken to Nemesisland and put through a series of trials, consisting of both punishments and pleasures. Over the course of her journey she learns a number of truths about her self, including who she is, where she has come from, and what she is destined to become. I will not offer any spoilers as to what her destiny entails, but it is tied very closely to the mythology behind the fantasy.

Adventures in Fetishland is also a story about trust, a story about the power of true submission. While there are choices to be made, there are no games in Nemesisland, no safe-words, and no limits. Becoming a part of the story means submitting yourself completely, trusting your body and soul to the whims of Nemesis herself (the Red Queen). The bondage and domination scenes are exquisitely crafted, demonstrating Slave Nano's flair for conveying not just the physical sensations of being restrained and punished, but also the thoughts and feelings of letting one's self become completely immersed in submission.

This is a powerful read, and one that demands you submit yourself to the power of the tale. Intensely erotic, it challenges you to control your arousal, to read just one more chapter before submitting to your own physical needs. Intelligent and imaginative, it also challenges you to imagine how Wonderland's fetish transformation will manifest itself next, while managing to surprise and delight at every turn. It is exceedingly rare to find a story that so expertly manages to arouse, entertain, and engage the reader, but Slave Nano has crafted that perfect reading experience.

[Reviewed by Bobbi]