Why Review Books?: My Sort-of Manifesto
by Mathilde MaddenI am a book reviewer. If I hear of a book I like the sound of, I get in touch with the publisher and announce that I am a book reviewer and get a free copy popped in the post. This is not why I review books. If I just wanted free books, I could become a shoplifter.
I am a book reviewer. This is a very good answer to the question, "What do you do?" Especially when asked by fellow middle-class, high-brow, low-income parents standing around outside pre-school. This is not why I review books. If I just wanted to impress other parents, I could become a domestic goddess.
I am a book reviewer. Authors like book reviewers. I like authors. If I want an author to become my-new-pretend-best-friend, I can email them and say I am thinking of reviewing one of their books. In this way, authors are usually pleased to hear from me. This is not why I review books. If I just wanted sexy authors to pretend to like me, I could become an editor.
I review books because it's a blizzard of apathy out there. And books need it. Authors often compare books to children – their "babies" – and, like children, books are attention-seeking little bastards. I write, and I know what it is like to send a nurtured, loved, tottering little book out into the world and hopehopehope that someone, anyone, will take care of your book in the simplest way possible – by noticing it exists.
Why review genre fiction books?
Genre fiction has always been where the real power and insight lies. That is why genre fiction is scary and has to be kept in its place by being ignored and ridiculed. From allegorical SF to gore-splattered horror, genre fiction contains too much truth for its own good. Science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, erotica, war stories, westerns, crime, thriller: that's the whole of human nature.As for literary fiction, I think it gets more than its share of thoughtful reviews. But I won't ignore it totally, because one of my favourite things in the world is genre blending: science-fiction westerns, horror romances - yes, please. And some of my favourite books are lit-genre hybrids. Literary crime, literary erotica - for my purposes, these books count as genre fiction.
Why review erotic fiction?
I want to know where the best books are about sex and sexuality, especially sexy books written by women, sexy books that cross genres, books about non-mainstream sexuality. I want to know how women write about men to turn themselves on, how they write about power exchange, how they deal with sexual desires to be physically overpowered or to hurt people - dark stuff, big stuff, male/male erotica, love. These are the things I want to know about. And when I find these things, I want everyone else to know about them too. Especially if I find smutty books that are beautiful but are published by small presses with no marketing budget, that are in ghetto genres, or that cross genres in ways that confuse (if only to later delight). I want everyone to know about the treasures I've unearthed. I might not always strike gold, but I will go out prospecting all I can.Why review them here?
Reflection's Edge let me do what I want. I can tell them I will mostly review erotica but not exclusively. I can kick off my reviews with World War Z - a pretty well known survival horror tome - and Standish - a tiny little male/male historical erotic romance. I can send in a schedule for the next few months that dances from high romantic fantasy to literary erotic memoir to gay vampires and they tell me "fine." The reviews editor once said that my choices were like finding a really great mix CD, and knowing how much she likes music, I know that's an amazing complement. Also, here at RE, I don’t have to review all new releases, which means those books with no publicity budgets can find their word-of-mouth way to me.I'm just a small time book reviewer. An author with three pulp novels and a bunch of random publishing credits to my name. Reflection's Edge is a small, thoughtful, genre fiction website. It fits. I wouldn't get to do this anywhere else. I like the control. Read enough of my erotica reviews and you might figure this out for yourself. This is the perfect place for me.
Mathilde Madden
Staff Reviewer: Erotica – Living the dream
©Mathilde Madden
Mathilde Madden is an author, a journalist, and a lover of genre fiction. Her latest novel is Equal Opportunities, from Black Lace/Virgin Books. To read more of her work on-line, visit www.mathildemadden.co.uk, or read her past contributions to Reflection's Edge here.