Book Review: TO OFFER HER PLEASURE by Ali Seay

TO OFFER HER PLEASURE by Ali Seay (Weird Punk Books, August 2021) Trade paperback, 150 pages. ISBN # 9781951658175 

Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .

After the death of his father and his mother taking off, it becomes clear to Ben that the only thing he can count on, is no one to count on.

Until he finds the book. One that calls forth a shadowy horned figure.

She comes with unexpected gifts and the comfort of a dependable presence.

She asks for very little in return, really. The more Ben offers her, the easier it gets. 

 

Sometimes, family requires a little more  . . sacrifice

My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     While it took me four days to read this novella, it is not a tedious read. On the contrary, TO OFFER HER PLEASURE can easily be read at one sitting, over the course of a day with frequent breaks to relieve the tension, or even longer in order to savor some of the more colorful chapters. 

     My excuse is that I started reading this, then became super-busy with other matters. The fact that I would read a chapter or two whenever I had a spare moment, using the bathroom, or a quick read before turning out the lights for bedtime is a testimonial as to how engaging this story can become.

     Ali Seay's writing style helped matters. She writes in concise yet revealing sentences and always gets to the point, sometimes bluntly. This economical approach works very well with the rapid-fire pacing of events as well as the quick, short chapters. Seay also gets right to the heart of each moment and doesn't drag a scene out. Other authors might take advantage of a particularly dramatic or horrific scene and expand upon it for many pages. 

     Main character Ben is coming-of-age awkwardly and exploring his sexuality in similar awkward fashion while also dealing with loss and grief (his father died early from cancer) and then abandonment and isolation (his drunken mother skips out with her abusive new boyfriend). While exploring his father's man cave, he finds a strange tome hidden inside a bookcase and then becomes bewitched by the image of an antlered woman who seems to be a combination siren/succubus. The woman requires sacrifice . . . and Ben complies. 

     TO OFFER HER PLEASURE feels like a modern uptake on the needy plant Seymour from THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, but this is much, much darker, complex, and meaningful.

     Without spoiling the details, Ben's demeanor changes dramatically by the end of the novel and there are a few major and minor surprises along the way, especially in the final chapter. 

       The only shortcomings of the novel are a scene that seems to have omitted a critical detail (but is still understandable and enjoyable) and an ending that leaves several mysteries unexplained. Whether that is a set-up for a sequel is not clear.